Not too late
by SilverTailz
Summary: She's got ten days to live. As her remaining time slips away, there's only one thing on her mind: she hasn't told him yet.
1. A piece of news

*Prologue*  
  
Kagome'd known for a while that something was wrong. There was a fatigue in her body that had never been there before. It hurt to move sometimes, hurt to think. But still she'd continued with the Quest, not saying anything and smiling at her friends' worry and questioning. She ignored it as long as she possibly could—until she'd woke up one mid-morning on the sidewalk halfway to school with Hojo standing over her, looking worried. He'd called an ambulance despite her many arguments and claims of "I'm fine."  
  
So, reluctantly, she had gone to the place with the paramedics, and Hojo had left for school, promising to stop by the shrine later and 'check up' on her. She didn't doubt it.  
  
The whole afternoon had been spent on the cold metal chairs in the doctor's office and waiting room. There was test after test, needle-prick after needle-prick. Kagome sat through it all as tolerantly as she could with her mother hovering nervously a few feet away, leaving against the striped- papered wall. The middle-aged woman's hands were tightly knit, and her knuckles white with pressure, and she constantly stole uneasy glances at the broad-faced wall clock and her daughter.  
  
Finally, a doctor came to talk to them. He looked somber as he asked Mrs. Higarashi to please sit down, and Kagome felt a ball of dread begin to form quickly in her stomach. The doctor had beat around the bush until Kagome was literally shaking with worry before coming outright and saying it plainly. He said they'd discovered an abnormal something-or-another in the many samples they had taken. Mrs. and Ms. Higarashi both listened in complete confusion and anxiety as he explained slowly as though they were mindless and fragile little people.  
  
The only thing the stupid doctors could tell them were two things: one, that Kagome had a rare type of blood poisoning. Two, that she had ten says to live. There was no known cure, or even an antibiotic. Nothing. All they could do was offer painkillers and their "sympathy"—the type of doubtful sympathy that only strangers can give. They didn't know or understand the meaning and significance of those words they so idly passed around each and every day.  
  
Kagome's mother cried for the entire duration of the traffic-jammed ride back home. She told Souta and Grandpa and then they cried too. Kagome watched and heard it all in a sort of numb slow-motion like a replay tape, knowing that none of the grief and misery could help her position in the slightest—nor could anything else, for that matter. She was dying, and had only a mere ten days left of her life. Dying. Even the word was scary, and brought with it a mysteriousness that even her mother couldn't explain pr chase away. Dying. Like her father.  
  
Like Kikyou.  
  
Among the jumble that was now her thoughts, Kagome heard one resonantly above all the rest: 'I haven't told him yet.......' Tears came to her eyes as she thought about leaving her friends and family and home. The quest was still incomplete, and Naraku was still terrorizing people. Sango's brother was still being controlled and Kikyou was still hovering ominously close. Nothing, truly, had changed, but it would. She was leaving; she was dying. Dying. Every time she thought it, the word echoed. She couldn't bring herself to say it.  
  
With a sense of duty, Kagome packed her big backpack for what she knew would be the last time, leaving her school books and packing instead extra ramen, potatoes chips and all of Shippo's favorite storybooks. The aspirin she took for all the good it would do, just for the sake of it. She said goodbye to her family, saying she'd come back soon, that she needed time to think.  
  
But even as Mrs. Higarashi hugged her only daughter, she knew she wasn't planning to return.  
  
"Take care, sweetheart," she whispered through her tears as Kagome backed away, feeling her heart melt.  
  
"Why are you crying, momma?" Souta asked confusedly as he, too, stepped up to Kagome.  
  
"No reason, honey," sniffed their mother.  
  
Kagome knelt before her little brother like she hadn't done since he was two and fastened her arms around his shoulders, hugging tightly. Souta, confused at her behavior, patted her back awkwardly and waited for an explanation.  
  
"Souta," Kagome said slowly. "Be good for momma while I'm gone, okay? Do good in school, and take care of everybody."  
  
"I will, nee-chan," the boy answered. "But you won't be gone for long, right? Maybe when you come back we can play some of the old games together. You know, like we used to."  
  
"Maybe," she answered sadly, forcing a smile. She stooped and hugged her too-short grandfather carefully, wincing as she heard his muffled sobbing.  
  
"Goodbye, everyone. I love you."  
  
She wouldn't lie again and say she'd be back soon. It would be too much.  
  
So with her family watching her back, Kagome stepped up to the ancient well, putting her hand on the splintery, textured rim. She glanced back to the house and her tight-knitted family, swallowing her hot tears, and leapt without looking back again into the time-rip, knowing with a sort of sinking feeling that she would never, ever be able to return to the life and home she had always known. Never again. 


	2. Sango and Miroku

That goodbye would've been enough to put anyone in tears, Kagome thought, climbing from the well. Only one tear had managed to escape; she wiped it away with one finger as she steadied herself. It wouldn't do to have everyone know she was crying. That would lead to questions she wasn't ready to answer, and to the inevitable fate she wasn't ready to face. It would have to stay hidden until closer to the end, Kagome told herself resolutely. She wouldn't give her friends the rest of her ten days to mourn and worry. She would simply pretend nothing was wrong and go about shard hunting as any other time.  
  
"Kagome-chan!"  
  
Her head shot up. Sango was running towards her with Shippo and Kilala at her heels, smiling and looking happy. Happy. She would try her best not to ruin her friend's happiness with tales of death and despair......kami knew she had enough of it, with her whole family gone and a brother under an evil spell. But even as she told herself that, her resolution began crumbling into a million tiny pieces and she felt dangerously close to burst into tears right there and say everything. No, Kagome thought. No, not yet.  
  
"Hey, guys! How are you?" Her voice was painfully cheerful. So cheerful that it was fake, like a mustard-yellow painted sun. Too bright to be real. Sango looked apprehensive.  
  
"Kagome-chan, is something wrong?"  
  
Of course they could tell, Kagome thought irately. That was stupid of me. I've got to be more convincing than that! Her mouth began quickly preparing a reply to the question as her brain tried to shake itself from its stupor. "I'm f-fine, I just—" Everything she thought of was incredibly lame, so it was a relief when Miroku entered the clearing and spared her from answering with a hearty greeting: The you-look-lovely today, the how-are-you, and the typical priest-like smile that was just too serene to belong to such a lecher. She took the opportunity and answered with vigor that she was fine, thank you.  
  
With that topic finished, Sango began to open her mouth again, her expression serious, and Kagome knew what was coming: the questions, the friendly inquisitiveness, and the worry. She wouldn't ward it off this time......it would come out here, in front of Miroku and even Shippo—innocent Shippo that didn't deserve the heavy knowledge that his surrogate mother was going to die.  
  
It was then that Inuyasha chose to make his appearance.  
  
He came crashing to the earth with numerous leaves and twigs from his recent perch, landing as gracefully and lightly as a kitten. Kagome couldn't help but smiling at his timing as Sango closed her mouth quickly, clearly more than a little annoyed.  
  
"What're you smiling about?" Inuyasha grumbled unhappily. "You're two days late!"  
  
"Gomen, Inuyasha," Kagome said hastily, her grin disappearing like a hunted rabbit down a hole. "I was just......busy. Something came up."  
  
"'Something came up'? Don't give me that, wench. What happened?"  
  
"It's nothing, okay?" Kagome said even quicker, panic rising in her throat. "Just.....make up work." Inuyasha looked ready to protest or accuse again, but Sango elbowed him gently in the ribs and gave him a scolding look that was reminiscent to a mother rebuking her child. The hanyou, clearly not happy at all with the way he was being treated, gave a surly expression and closed his mouth, crossing his arms with a trademark 'feh' and a 'whatever'.  
  
With that settled, everyone was content to head back to the village. The visit with Kaede was rushed—mostly by Sango, who seemed intent on getting Kagome alone. It took several rounds of patient persuasion to get Inuyasha to allow them to stay the night, but Miroku managed, (after a request from Sango, no doubt) saying that it wouldn't hurt at all to rest before setting off again, and that they were all tired—which wasn't so far from the truth. Eventually, the hanyou grudgingly agreed.  
  
As soon as their staying put was settled, Sango began her attempts of coaxing Kagome to the hot springs. She could sense that the girl was troubled by something—and also hiding that something—and she was playing the role of the concerned girlfriend. Of course, that didn't stop Kagome from doing her very best to evade it.  
  
"But wouldn't you like a nice, hot bath, Kagome-chan?" Sango wheedled. Miroku stood a few feet away, looking mildly interested with sparkling eyes. The demon exterminator took one look at his expression and gave a very deadly I-Dare-You look.  
  
"No, that's okay, Sango. I took a bath this morning."  
  
"Please, Kagome-chan?" She was being very pushy about it. Miroku looked confused, more than interested, as if asking, Are you—? "Get those thoughts out of your head, monk." Her soft tone suddenly became very sharp. "Wouldn't you rather wait inside with Kaede-baa-chan?"  
  
Taking the hint or fearing for his health one, the houshi left for the cabin obediently. The second his heels disappeared behind the door-flap, Sango turned her penetrating dark eyes upon the schoolgirl with the air of a teacher who knew of paper airplanes that had been flying behind her turned back. Noticing Kagome's uncomfortable shudder, her features relaxed and became calmer. Reaching a hand out, she spoke hesitantly.  
  
"Kagome-chan.....?"  
  
Silence answered her inquiry, along with a bird or two outside the window.  
  
"Please, Kagome. Tell me what's bothering you." A pause as Sango tried in vain to catch her friend's eye. "I want to help you."  
  
"You can't," Kagome whispered sadly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because there's nothing you can do, Sango. There's no sense in making you sad."  
  
"But.....at least we can be sad together," Sango murmured softly. Kagome felt then the last of her resolve shatter and threw herself at her best friend, sobbing and holding onto her shoulders for dear life. They sat there together for a long time, Sango rocking back and forth until the weeping quieted. "There now," she said carefully. "It'll be all right, Kagome-chan. I'm here. Tell me what's wrong." Her expression, hidden from the weepy younger girl, was fierce. "If anyone's hurt you...."  
  
"It's nothing like that," Kagome sniffled, feeling incredibly pathetic but really not bothering to care anymore. If anyone had the right to be pathetic, she did. "It's that......I......."  
  
Silence. A cricket chirped. A bird whistled. A child giggled and called to his friend.  
  
"I'm dying." She came out and said it—bluntly, but she couldn't think of any other way. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, listening as Sango gasped sharply and her hands shook on Kagome's.  
  
"Kagome-chan......not you. Not you." There was a pause, as if she expected Kagome to assure her that she had been joking. When nothing came, she continued uncertainly. "You can't be dying. You're too young, too strong. You're not sick."  
  
"I AM sick," Kagome insisted patiently.  
  
"But you don't seem—"  
  
"It's not that kind of sick." Silence. "The doctors aren't even sure what it is. They can't do anything about it." More silence. It was becoming unbearable. She wished more than anything at that moment that Sango would say something reassuring. She needed comfort, more than anything. Before she started crying again for all the unfairness......  
  
"H-how long do you have?" Sango's voice was small and fearful, like a lost child.  
  
"Ten days."  
  
The stillness was deafening. Then suddenly......  
  
It was broken. Kagome found herself staggering under Sango's weight as she flung herself at Kagome, crying. The battle-hardened demon exterminator hardly ever cried—only when her family had died, or when she had thought she'd have to kill her brother. Kagome brought a hand to her back comfortingly. She felt stronger than she had before—like her mother, consoling her younger self after an accident.  
  
'There, there, Kagome. It's just a little scratch. You'll be okay. Sshhh. I'm here.'  
  
How could she be so scared when her friend was just as frightened as she was?  
  
"It's okay, Sango. I'm here."  
  
Sango abruptly pulled away, her face flushed and tear-streaked.  
  
What am I doing? I'm acting like an idiot! She needs us to be strong for her now, Sango thought disgustedly, and here I am, crying like Shippo! "I'm sorry, Kagome. Forgive me."  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"A-are you going t-to tell the others?"  
  
"Miroku, maybe. Shippo doesn't need to know about it." Sango looked doubtful. "I don't want him to be sad. He's too young, Sango. I don't want you to be sad either, but......" I'm too weak. I've been aching to tell someone since I found out today. Misery loves company. And look what I'm doing to my friends. The people who care about me more than anything in the world. I'm making them sad, like me. I'm bringing the feeling of doom upon them, as I feel. It's not fair. It's not fair to them. It's not their problem. And I'll be darned if—  
  
"Kagome-chan? Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine," she answered with a bright smile. "As I was saying, we can tell Miroku, but only him."  
  
"But.....what about Inuyasha?" Sango looked serious. "You have to tell him."  
  
"I will, I will," Kagome assured. "Just.....not yet. I have to work out what I'm going to tell him. You know, the way that will be easiest to swallow, and so he won't go rip the doctor's throat out. You understand, don't you?"  
  
"I understand. Know one thing, Kagome-chan. He loves you." She paused. "He needs to hear it from you.....but I can tell houshi-sama if that will make it easier—give you less to worry about." Reminds me of the doctors, Kagome thought. They told me to just focus on being comfortable and gave me all the antibiotics. Oh, yeah, girl, just drug yourself into oblivion and you won't worry about the fact that you're going to DIE!!  
  
Aloud, she only nodded and murmured a solemn thank you.  
  
@-}----------  
  
The evening came quickly, as if the sun was eager to escape its post. Kagome and Sango retreated to the hot springs before the moon had fully raised itself into the sky and before the stars began their jolly winking.  
  
The water of the hot spring was uncommonly warm and inviting. Kagome immediately slipped in and waded up to her shoulders, taking a breath and dipping under the water. Normally she sat, enjoying the temperature, but that was before. She'd had all the time in the world then. It seemed, after all, that everything had changed: her outlook, her habits, even her chattiness. Inuyasha (though forced into a sullen silence by a deadly Sango Look) had long since her arrival noticed her silence, and was very curious. Shippo was naïve enough to over look it and be blissful anyway.  
  
Miroku was another story entirely.  
  
Before the girls took their leave, Sango had left Kagome's company for a brief few minutes and took the time to explain to the houshi the situation. Though he shed no tears or collapsed as the women had done, it had been apparent that he was shaken by the development. His hand—usually oh-so- steady—trembled upon his wooden staff's handle and his dark eyes took on a glaze of pity and sorrow. No doubt he understood how heavy the threat of death could be when it rested on one's shoulders.  
  
Sango had warned him softly not to mention anything to Inuyasha or Shippo, not going into much detail because it was not necessary. He had given his solemn promise and nodded in understanding, catching her hand as she turned to leave.  
  
"I know you're hurting right now, Sango. It's all right to show it."  
  
Angrily, she had pulled her hand away.  
  
"How can you say that? We have to be strong for her right now! Kagome's scared! She's lost! We can't be acting like little children when she needs us!" Lowering her voice left keen ears should catch it, she mumbled, "Leave the innocence to Shippo."  
  
"Leave the comforting to Inuyasha and myself. Bottling up your feelings never helps. Maybe your sadness would be a comfort to Kagome-sama—let her know she's not alone in her fear."  
  
Disgusted with his calmness over the situation that so deserved distress, Sango had stomped furiously out to find her friend.  
  
She regretted that now, looking back. He had only been trying to help. She would have to apologize later.  
  
"Sango? Are you okay?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"You're spacing out," Kagome indicated, looking curious.  
  
"Oh.....sorry, Kagome-chan. Just daydreaming, that's all."  
  
@-}---------------  
  
"There you are, wench!" Inuyasha's sweet gesture came from the trees as they returned to the village, scaring Kagome to death and causing Sango to look up in annoyance and chuck a rock at him. Even in the darkness her air was true; the impertinent little halfling fell to the ground with a heavy thump, holding his head and looking infuriated.  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"  
  
"Stop being mean to Kagome-chan, Inuyasha."  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"Because," Sango said in a voice of forced calm, "you wouldn't want to take a taste of the stuff I give Miroku after HE misbehaves."  
  
"You couldn't do anything to me if you tried," Inuyasha sneered. He found himself on the ground with a matching bump on the other side of his head two seconds later, staring at the girls' retreating backs. Muttering enough curses to make a sailor wince, he peeled himself off the dirt and walked off to follow them, rubbing his head crossly and making a mental note to never catch Sango on a bad day. 


	3. Thoughtful Moonlight

Holy geez, minna! I'm here, responding to the FLOOD of reviews that was sitting innocently in my inbox this afternoon! I almost fell out of my chair in shock! ^_^ Thanks to everyone that read the last two chapters. Now for all my little responses......  
  
Moogle: Thanks a ton for the compliment! Inuyasha is really clueless.....I kept him in character with that respect, ne? You'll just hafta wait and see what Kagome does..... *Shifty eyes* I COULD be really evil....we'll see.  
  
CRAZYPERSON: Hehehe......*Evil* You'll have to....READ to find out what happens!! *Cue lightning* No, not really. If you have questions, just email me—address is in my profile.  
  
Coey-chan: I'm working on it! ^_^  
  
Inuyasha-gal97: Yes, mommy. *Runs to obey*  
  
Sanosa: Okay, I'll work on that! But it's so hard to stretch it.....I don't wanna babble. I think I got the point across......  
  
Emmy-Inuyasha-Freak: HEHE! Another person with alternate personalities! *Shakes hand enthusiastically*  
  
Uni-Girl: Thanks! I really don't like OOC-ness—I mean, unless it's fluffy, like a blanket-scenario or something where it's necessary.  
  
Jojo10: I will! I will! ^_^  
  
Hottpinktwilight: Don't worry....it's coming.....HEHEHE!  
  
Hanyouelf: *Hands hanky* Sorry it took so long.....but I've got so many ficcys! I promise to try harder!  
  
Phew! Long one! If I skipped anyone, gomen big time, say something in the review and I'll put ya in the next chappie! If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitiate to email, sya so in the review, or IM me at CuteSilverSpirit (aol messanger).  
  
@-}------------------  
  
Dinner was an.....interesting affair. Shippo was hopping around manically between bites, wondering why it was suddenly so awkward and tossing bread and noodles at Inuyasha, who had refused to come down from his tree at all. Miroku's face had very little expression as he stared blankly at his tea; Sango was trying very hard not to show any sadness, but continued to babble with Kagome. Kilala was looking at them confusedly, at a loss for what was going on.  
  
Inuyasha scoffed into his ramen, high above them. Did they think him incredibly dense? He could tell—far better than bratty little Shippo—that something was wrong. All the smiles had suddenly become fake and unbelievable. It seemed as if—suddenly—everyone was terrified of silence. What was going on? He could've let it slip when Miroku rose and hugged Kagome when she came back with the air of a parent comforting a toddler (though he certainly hadn't liked it.) It was the look on their faces that had made him first suspicious—frozen, forced, unreal.  
  
But the last straw had been Kagome's smile.  
  
He'd walked up to her from behind as they'd come back from the hot spring (after Sango had walked off to apologize for whatever had made Miroku so gloomy), being provoking as usual. He'd been complaining about something-or- another, making comments about being stuck there for another night, basically anything he could think of.  
  
But try as he might, he couldn't get an angry response from her. She just kept walking, straight-backed ahead as though she'd not heard a single word of what he was saying—or ranting, for that matter—just absorbed everything and left it with silence as answer.  
  
At last, his patience snapping, he had grabbed her shoulder. "Hello, wench! Are you deaf?"  
  
Kagome had turned, slowly, and glanced over her shoulder. He'd have expected a nice long sitting then, or at least a good bit of yelling. An angry expression. Anything! What he hadn't expected was what she had done.  
  
"I can hear you just fine, Inuyasha," she said patiently, smiling. "You don't have to shout."  
  
He'd been at a loss for words. Her smile, her eyes.....they were hiding her true feelings behind them.  
  
Her aura was so.....sad. Wistful. Distressed. But she'd put on a brave face and kept smiling, for them.  
  
For him.  
  
As he was thinking over it and staring, Kagome had reached up and gently taken his hand from her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze before walking away, saying nothing else as she made the short journey to camp. She hadn't seemed at all surprised at Miroku's odd greeting—rather touched, actually. And her hand had been so cold.....not at all with its usual self.  
  
Something was DEFINITELY wrong. Her aura itself HAD shifted, in a way he couldn't put his finger on. But she didn't smell sick—she only smelled of the heavy scent of despair. It nearly covered up her own aroma.  
  
Almost.  
  
What wasn't she telling him?  
  
Inuyasha slumped back in frustration, accidentally dropping his cup of ramen. The little Styrofoam cup spiraled downwards for a second or two, successfully spilling its hot contents all over Kagome. He watched guiltily as she jumped and bit back a yelp, looking up in confusion. Still, there was no anger. Confusion, discomfort, surprise—but no anger.  
  
She simply stood, calm looking as Miroku on a normal day, wringing her pajamas out and shaking her soup-smelling hair from her face.  
  
"Guess I'll have to take another bath," she said cheerfully, picking up her towel and heading in the direction she had followed earlier. Shippo glared up at the hanyou before shaking himself off as well (he had caught a bit of it, too) and began licking his fur, like a cat. Kilala joined in to help as Miroku and Sango watched, their faces cracked in genuine half-smiles.  
  
Inuyasha looked away, unable to stand for the mystery any longer. He leapt from his tree to another, following the soupy scent towards the hot spring.  
  
@-}----------------  
  
There was a quiet BLOOP as the nimble body slipped into the warm water, quickly dunking her head under the water and squeezing it out. "Heh, ramen.....that's an interesting thing to be covered in." She slumped against the rocks, enjoying the warmth of the water. It was relaxing, now—for some reason more than before.  
  
Perhaps it was that she was alone.....  
  
....Or thought that she was.  
  
High above the pool, Inuyasha sat on a branch, looking determinedly anywhere but down. He'd followed her, sure—out of concern. HE was no lecher like Miroku. HE had absolutely NO desire to try anything stupid like that and get his brains beaten out of his head and fried like eggs.  
  
Eww. Brain eggs.  
  
Stop that! He commanded himself, feeling incredibly senseless. First the tail thing and now this. That's enough already. Sheesh!  
  
Below, Kagome glanced around the shadowy pool, suddenly with an interest for the details. She wanted to remember this forever—for eternity, memories of her last few days. Stop telling yourself that, girl, she reprimanded mentally, though it was a weak attempt. Like it or not, she was going to think about it.  
  
The moonlight from above was casting shimmering silver patterns across the water's surface that moves as she did, circling all around. Small ripples kept the water moving—leaves kept dropping from the trees and floating like little boats across. The navy sky was reflected in the water, which was dark in an attempt at mimicry. Try as it might, the stars could not be duplicated. They were mere white pinpricks in the mirror image.  
  
But, oh, the sky. How beautiful it was, in heavy contrast with the beautiful quarter-moon! There was not a single cloud visible anywhere—no smog to ruin the stars' bright shining elation as they lay, scattered like dream dust against the heavens. The forest's leafy arms reached up and circled around the single hole right above the pool, as if a sunroof had been installed purposefully.  
  
Kagome sighed. No embroidery or painting could ever recreate that.....  
  
Even as she thought of the beauty, her fragile lightheartedness faded.  
  
"How in the world am I gonna tell him?" She whimpered to no one in particular. "I can't.....I can't make him worry like Miroku and Sango.....it's not right." There was a moment of movement as she stroked her fingers along the water's top, watching the ripples that followed like dolphin fins. "What can I do....?"  
  
Above her, Inuyasha sighed silently with her, feeling the despair. He knew, with a sinking feeling, that she as talking about him, and that he wasn't going to like what she was going to tell him. 


	4. Inuyasha's decision and Shippo's worry

Yay! New chap! 2 in 2 days—not bad, eh, HanyouElf? Hehe! ^_^ Well, see, I wanted to update now, on account of I'm going away this week with no computer. 1 whole week of no updates......mosta you guys would lose interest by then, ne? I'm in a hurry so a quick thanky to HanyouElf, Moogle, and JoJo for reading/reviewing my last chappie. Hope you like this one just as much. Onward!!!  
  
@-}----------  
  
"Kagome.......Kagome....."  
  
The distant, unclear voice was familiar, but she couldn't place a face with it immediately. It'd been almost ten years since she'd last heard it.....her father. Before he'd died in the train wreck. But, then.....how was she hearing him? He was dead, gone.....  
  
As she would be, soon.  
  
"Kagome....."  
  
A bright light was shinning on her face, making her eyes go blurry. There was a beautiful chorus behind the voice—a wonderful, heavenly, angelic murmuring. Angels? Heh, why not? She was already talking to a dead person. And there he was, standing before her, looking no different than she remembered him—in his business suit and all. He opened his arms to her, smiling jubilantly, calling her closer, and she ran, ready to jump into his embrace as a child of six years....  
  
"Kagome! Kagome!"  
  
All at once, the pleasant music ceased, only to be replaced with a high- pitched, squeaky voice. Kagome opened her eyes, looking about dazedly—the light WAS still bright. But this was sunlight—not ethereal light from an unknown source. Shippo was standing at her side, or rather bouncing, his ears twitching in excitement.  
  
"Kagome! Want to come make daisy chains with me? You said you would!"  
  
"Aww, Shippo-chan, it's so early...."  
  
"No, it's not! It's noon!" His face became a very convincing puppy face pout. He tugged at her sleeve, sniffling.  
  
"All right, all right," she sighed at last, climbing from the covers grudgingly. It had been a nice dream, too.....hadn't it? What would've happened if she'd reached her father? It had happened before that people died from their dreams, as psychologists had argued.....could that have happened to her? Dismissing the thought, she followed Shippo out of the clearing they had been camping in the night before.  
  
Soon Shippo had successfully led her to the small meadow outside Kaede's village. There were herbs and spices and vegetables growing a distance away. A handful of bent-back farmers were out, harvesting—for spring was in the air, and everything was growing beautifully. There would be a nice, bountiful yield this year for the little village.  
  
Too bad I won't be here to see it.  
  
The two sat down on the soft, warm green grass. Surrounding them for at least five feet were assorted flowers—daisies were the only ones Kagome could recognize. All the rest were too wild; too exotic, maybe even extinct by her time. Shippo was babbling happily on and on, braiding the stems together as she watched and helped occasionally.  
  
Altogether, though, Kagome was silent. She smiled on cue when the kit glanced up at her, nodding when he spoke or asked a question and murmuring a "Uh-huh," or a "Yup," when appropriate. She tried her very best to seem typical and cheerful as always, despite the unwanted thoughts that kept attacking so mercilessly.  
  
Apparently, after a while, her pretending grew clumsy, because Shippo looked oddly worried and uneasy when he asked, "What's wrong, Kagome?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"Of course not, Shippo-chan. Everything's wonderful." The kitsune looked doubtful but said nothing else for the remainder of the time, continuing with his chains with ease.  
  
@-}----------------------  
  
"Inuyasha!"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Inuyasha! HEY, INUYASHA!"  
  
Finally the hanyou snapped. Shippo had been yelling his name for at least a half hour now, and he was past getting sick of it. It was driving him—and the forest's local wildlife—insane. It was twilight all around, and most people were putting their children to bed. No doubt they were annoyed as well.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU WANT, BRAT?"  
  
"About time," the kid muttered irritably. "You know, you'd think that with those big ears you'd be able to hear really well, but noooooo."  
  
"Is that what you've been trying to get my attention for? You're wasting my time." Inuyasha scoffed, turning his back to the other below. "Go make mud pies or something, squirt."  
  
"Hey, wait a minute! That's not what I wanted to say!"  
  
More silence as the inu-youkai ignored him again.  
  
"Inuyasha! Please! It's important!"  
  
There was a moment as nothing moved at all. Inuyasha paused in his silent treatment scheme, feeling unease prickle his neck and his ears twitch in concentration. Something about the distressed, serious tone in Shippo's normally playful voice made him feel inclined to listen, in spite of himself. At last, he decided to give the fox one more chance.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm worried about Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha paused. So even Shippo had noticed it. That proved it. There was DEFINITELY something going on. He hid this all, instead plastering a 'you're mental' scowl on his face.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She's been acting really weird, Inuyasha. All quiet and.....sad. Don't tell me you haven't noticed it."  
  
"Feh," the hanyou muttered, though internally he was answering truthfully.  
  
Yes, of course I've noticed it, Shippo. And I'm worried out of my mind for what it could be about. Must be something really bad if she's afraid of making ME upset with it. But what could it be? Several not-so-pleasant thoughts came to mind.  
  
That's it, Inuyasha decided as Shippo walked away without another word. I'm going to ask her about it first thing tomorrow. 


	5. Putting it off

Tailz here, back from her jaunt to the place of all things funny—er, sunny. Yup. Spring break is done, and I am forced back into my old routine.....yadda, yadda, you don't care. You want me to get my lazy fingers back to typin' up these stories, ne? Well, okies, I'm working on it! Sorry for the super late update, and happy belated Easter, everybody! Here're the A/N's!  
  
Emmy & J.C: I don't believe in violence. Peace, friend. *Hands them daises*  
  
Moogle: Oh, don't you worry, dear child......there will be......major.......FLUFFINESS before Kagome dies! BWAHAHHAAHA! I'm probably going to drive you all insane with it, actually! Thanks for sticking around this long! Daisy crowns.....Shippo and I are planning to tie Inuyasha up and cover him with little pink tulips. ^_^  
  
UniGirl: *Nodnod* What's the point of all this character-mutilation? Save the Inu-Crew from unjust butchering and OOC-ness! (I am suuuucch a hypocrite.....) *Hands hanky* Tailz is sorry for the evil cliffy, but......now that I have readers.....I can't help but abuse my power! ^_^'  
  
Darkangel: Hee hee! Glad you liked it! Here comes the update, with cherries on top!  
  
Sanosa: You and I should start a goody-goody club! We could RULE THE FREE WORLD!!!  
  
JoJo: Yup. Update. Would you like fries or cheese with that?  
  
Lazy-log-in-Yuna (tee-hee): Sanks for the compliment! You better go update before Tailz has to lock you in a room with Miroku! Don't make me do it! *Gets camera, just in case*  
  
Hanyou-elf: Glad to please my readers! Actually, I'm a hypocrite, cause if Kagome died in someone else's ficcy I would have a 3-eyed cow and leave a long-winded protesting review! *Smiles* you're a good person to put up with all this!  
  
Okay, guys. Here we go. I KNOW you have comments and shtuff, so, here's what I'm gonna do. I've got AIM (aol instant messanger). If you feel like dropping me a line next time you're logged in, my screen name is CuteSilverSpirit. I also have yahoo, so if you need that then please don't hesitate to say so in your review. M'kay, now that that's done with......on with the show!  
  
@-}---------------------------  
  
'First thing tomorrow' came and went much more quickly than Inuyasha would've believed possible. It took the whole morning to pack up and leave the village boundaries (where they had been camping just outside) because Kaede insisted they stay and eat breakfast (and then lunch) with her in her cabin. Inuyasha was strongly against all this, but he was outnumbered four to one. Kagome seemed completely neutral to anything anyone brought up.  
  
Lunch was a bowl of herby broth and a basket of fresh vegetables. It went relatively normally until Kaede hailed the young priestess to come outside 'to help with some herbs' for a moment. Kagome followed, looking puzzled, and returned several minutes later nothing short of edgy. The two took seats again in the circle, offering nothing to the curious bystanders.  
  
By the time they were released, it was mid-afternoon, and Inuyasha's temper pushed them out the door all the faster. Kaede followed them to the forest's boundaries as always, waving and murmuring wishes of good travels. The group traveled down the road at a sturdy jogging-pace and was soon lost to her sight.  
  
"Is something the matter, Inuyasha?" Miroku fell in step with the hanyou, looking curious.  
  
"What do you mean, monk?"  
  
"You seem......preoccupied today. Worried."  
  
"It's nothing, okay?" Inuyasha snapped irritably. What was the point of telling him? It wasn't like he could do anything about the situation anyway. "Just thinking."  
  
"Thinking," Miroku repeated, looking away. There was doubt apparent in his dark eyes, but as he didn't bring it up again, Inuyasha let the matter lie. The fact was that the monk—and everyone else, for that matter—could be as suspicious as they liked. He wasn't as easy to fathom as they suspected—not some big, dumb ogre without feelings. Sure, he had feelings. They were just a little further from the surface most of the time.  
  
Or hidden by choice.  
  
Normally the latter.  
  
At the moment, though, his secrecy was clumsier than usual. He couldn't hide all the worry at once, along with all the anxiousness and thoughts that bombarded his head. What was he going to say to Kagome about all this? Surely everyone else had noticed as well......maybe one of them would ask her first, and he wouldn't have to. No, that was like running away from his problems.  
  
Running was never the answer, he knew from experience. He'd have to confront her about this eventually—but something was stopping him from doing it. You could call it a gut feeling. You could call it an invisible force. You could call it whatever you liked, but that wouldn't change that it was seriously annoying to a—dare he admit it—concerned hanyou.  
  
They wandered around the countryside until nightfall without so much as a fragment's vibe. Setting camp took but a few moments as they were all used to it; many, many weeks' worth of traveling had made their fingers deft at the tasks. As soon as that was finished, Sango went off for a bath in a hot spring she claimed was very close. Miroku left to 'meditate' somewhere (Sango threatened him with his very life as they left, much to the monk's glumness.) Shippo and Kilala went to explore together the new countryside.  
  
Inuyasha was mildly pleased. It couldn't have been more perfect if he'd planned it.  
  
And so he waited in the trees, watching as Kagome stirred the supper's stew in her heavy metal thing and contemplating the right moment. He waited until the very last possible second he could force himself to before impatience forced him from his branch, only to land, catlike, on his feet, and just as silently. Kagome didn't turn or acknowledge his presence at all as he crept forward.  
  
Stupid wench, he thought. If I were a demon, she'd be dead or captured by now.  
  
Much to Inuyasha's annoyance, the girl didn't react at all until he was a mere foot and a half behind her. Grabbing the spoon and wheeling around with fear in her eyes, Kagome whapped Inuyasha over the head as hard as she could, snapping the handle in two pieces. The two stared at each other for several minutes.  
  
"I-Inuyasha!" Kagome sat back with the broken ladle in her hands, both of which were twisting nervously. "You scared me to death!"  
  
"Feh! Stupid! What if I were—"  
  
"—A demon? Yes, yes, I know. I'd be dead, I'd be eaten, and then there'd be no shard detector. I know," she interrupted irritably, turning back to save the stew that had begun to boil over.  
  
Why's she being so short-tempered? Inuyasha wondered angrily. I was just being concerned!  
  
You were NAGGING, a voice in his head shot back. It's annoying. You bite everyone else's heads off when they badger you, and here you are doing the same thing.  
  
"Fine, fine. No need to bite my head off." Inuyasha took a seat beside her in his typical Indian-style pose, watching as she tried to stir the soup with half a ladle, succeeding only in burning her fingers and dropping the spoon into the dish. She waved her burnt hand absentmindedly, trying to fish the ladle out with the other half. "So....I have something to ask you."  
  
"Really?" Kagome sounded about as interested as if he had begun a report about pocket lint.  
  
"Yeah, REALLY," he shot back snappishly, studying her face. She frowned, though he couldn't tell if it was at the soup, the ladle, or at his statement. So he continued. "I wanna know....well....I......you have to tell......" It was more difficult than he had thought. The words were getting stuck in his throat as he wondered, did he really want to hear the answer? Of course, he shot back mentally to himself. I might be able to help with whatever it is. So why couldn't he just come out and say it? "I.....you....."  
  
"This isn't working," Kagome interrupted, still staring into the depths of their potential dinner as if she might see the future in it.  
  
"Well, I'm working on it!" Inuyasha snapped, his anger at himself projecting as crabbiness.  
  
"I meant the ladle," came the cold reply.  
  
"Right....well......" That's it, he scolded himself. Just come out and say it. Now. Now. Okay, NOW!! "Tellmerightnowwhat'sgoingon," he blurted, so fast that no one in the Feudal Era or otherwise could've deciphered it. Other than a confused look, his first attempt had gained nothing. So, sighing, he tried again. "What's going on with you, Kagome?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Her tone was light and careless, but it hid another emotion. Subtle enough, to be sure, but it was there. Just as....before.  
  
"Don't give me that. You know EXACTLY what I mean."  
  
Silence.  
  
She didn't explain, so Inuyasha decided to elaborate. Or rant. Whichever came first.  
  
"You've been acting weird since you came back. You're cheerful one minute, depressed the next. You haven't been acting normal, Kagome. Even Shippo's noticed it, for God's sake. You haven't sat me once. Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Kagome stood there, as if absorbing his words and weighing them on some unknown scale. For a moment he was sure there was a breakthrough, for something mysteriously like tears sparkled in her eyes.....but when she looked up, there wasn't a trace of moisture. And when she spoke, her voice was steady.  
  
"There's nothing to tell, Inuyasha. Everything's fine." 


	6. Sayonara

For once in my life, I'm not in the mood for babbling. Yeah, whoa. Since my last update took so long, I'm trying top redeem myself with this earlier one. As always, thanks to the lovely reviewers that convince me daily to keep writing. Here we go.  
  
@-}-----------------  
  
Kagome knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that her answer had not satisfied Inuyasha's question. He'd known as soon as the answer left her mouth that she was lying, and it apparently made him very frustrated. He hadn't spoken to her since, and it was already halfway through her fifth remaining day. Catching his eye had had no profit, and when an apologetic cup of Ramen wouldn't do the trick, she knew that nothing would work but telling him the truth.  
  
And she wasn't ready to do that to him yet.  
  
Was he ready? She found herself asking that question more and more often as the day went on. Was poor Inuyasha, who'd already been through so much sadness in his life, any more ready than Shippo to hear such terrible news? More sorrow wouldn't do either of them any good, she decided. And while not telling them was nearly as bad, it seemed the only option. So it was with a heavy heart that the girl from the future began formulating a plan, considering even the most dreadful ideas. Suicide crossed her mind—she was going to die anyway. But that was not a good idea.  
  
She couldn't very well stay with her friends. For them to wake up one morning to find her dead—or, worse, witness it for themselves—would be cruel and undeserving a fate for them. Not to mention that would leave the explaining to Sango and Miroku, and she wouldn't want that—they'd been so wonderful through all of it, and there was no excuse to give Inuyasha reason to blame them. She couldn't go home and put that weight on her family. They had been so sad, and would only be more traumatized with the futile rush to the hospital they would be sure to attempt in her final hours. She had no intention of leaving Souta his last memory of his sister lying, near dead or worse, in a hospital room. He would remember her smiling, hugging him and telling him that she loved him.  
  
And so, the only choice she had left was to leave them. All of them. She would have to leave and spend her last days somewhere else—far away, where her friends would wonder but not know for sure her fate. They would miss her. There was no way around that. Shippo would cry and cry, and wonder why his second mother had abandoned him. Inuyasha would be sad too; the feeling of betrayal would assail him then. Sango and Miroku would be left with guilt and sadness. Any way she turned, the situation would injure those close to her.  
  
But it was settled.  
  
The only remaining question was, how to do it? A goodbye would be the right thing to do, and it would make her feel better, for sure. But that would lead to questions that she had come to that solution to avoid. Why was she leaving, and when was she coming back? Because I'm dying, and never, Kagome imaged herself saying. That was too much. She couldn't bring herself to say goodbye aloud. Her voice would break two words into the sentence. She could tell Sango and Miroku, but hadn't they done enough? Hadn't they kept enough quiet for her already?  
  
Yes. More than enough.  
  
It was hard for them.  
  
They didn't deserve any more of a burden than they already had.  
  
So, there would be no goodbye. At least, aloud. Leaving a letter would ease her guilt at least a little, but how could she leave it without it being discovered before she wished? If it was found too early, they would come after her, and that would be worst of all. She would find a way to do it, though, and keep her fingers crossed in prayer.  
  
The knowledge that the last night with her friends had come startled Kagome into complete, miserable disarray, as it hung heavily like a stifling curtain. She tried to smile as much as possible—she owed them that, at least, to give them one last happy memory with herself. She helped Miroku with dinner and took extra helpings even though she wasn't hungry. After dinner, she read Shippo his favorite storybook four whole times before going on to the next three and tucking him into her sleeping bag. When that was finished, she agreed to a bath with Sango even though she wasn't dirty, and stayed as long as the other girl wished.  
  
Returning to the camp was terrible. It brought the realization that she was spending her last hours with them—and time simply would not slow down—close to home. Apparently, though, her act was convincing enough, because no one asked if she was all right, or seemed to notice at all. And that was a good thing, she decided, though a part of her truly wished that someone would find her out and make her stay her last days with them.  
  
But that was selfish.  
  
Kagome was determined to make the most of what time was left. Upon her return to camp, she hugged Miroku and Sango before they went to bed, earning some puzzled smiles. Once they were settled in she moved she left in search of Inuyasha. He had to be somewhere close, brooding—for tonight was the night of the new moon, and he never strayed too far as a human. After spending ten precious minutes of searching, she found him, sitting on a rock by the river with his eyes closed. His coal black hair swayed a bit in the gentle breeze that wasn't quite enough to circulate the tepid summer air, looking almost the color of shadow. He looked mildly peaceful, and though his expression was blank, Kagome could sense anger.  
  
Dare she disturb him? Of course. It would be wrong to leave without patching things up, and she wouldn't be able to bear the guilt. "Inuyasha?" At her soft whisper, his eyes fluttered open, glaring sharply into the darkness as though he still had his keen demonic vision.  
  
"What do you want, wench?" His tone was clipped, and Kagome almost burst into tears in spite of herself as she took a seat beside him on the rock. It was cold, and hard.  
  
"I.....just wanted to talk to you," she lamented, hoping her own tone wasn't too revealing. When no reply came to that, she continued, carefully. "I just wanted to say......I'm sorry." Nothing. "You know.....about the other night." He stared at the dark sky above, as though she hadn't spoken. Ignoring her. She wished he'd just answer, at least—when she spoke again, her voice was pleading, even broken with tears she wouldn't allow to fall. "Inuyasha, please—just answer me. Say something."  
  
His head shot up, his expression hard, glaring, as he met her eyes. But even as he noticed the moisture in their depths, his expression softened, and his resolve shattered into little bite-sized pieces. Kagome—lighthearted, innocent Kagome—looked within two inches of crying.....oh, how he hated it when she cried. With a self-exasperated sigh of surrender, he looked away, mumbling uncomfortably, "Don't cry.....I didn't mean it." And suddenly, as though his words had been a secret command, he found himself holding onto a sobbing girl.  
  
Panic rose in the human boy's throat as he glanced down at the trembling head of ebony. Her hands, shaking, were clinging to his haori as though he might force her away. All the emotions he had sensed over the past few days were suddenly free and apparent—fear, sorrow, guilt, and helplessness. It was so much for one girl to handle; he wanted so much to comfort her, but all he could manage was an awkward hand to stroke her hair.  
  
"Easy, easy," he muttered quietly, and obediently the weeping calmed into something mellower. Inuyasha could think of nothing to do but to sit there and hold her, giving clumsy comfort. What could have caused such distress? He hoped it had nothing to do with him, as he felt guilty enough already for being such a butthead. Obviously that had been enough to push his poor friend into a complete collapse.  
  
As the confused Inuyasha sat there, pondering, Kagome held tight to his haori, wishing to never move from the spot. Why had she done this to herself—to him? It was only going to make it all the more difficult for both of them. And she had had him fooled, too—it would've been an easy job to sneak out of camp. She would leave. Before she caused any more hurt, she would leave. She'd spent the whole five minutes in his arms, memorizing his scent, placing how his arms felt around her into her memory forever—wishing so hard that none of any of it had ever happened.  
  
But that was stupid. It wouldn't help.  
  
At last, Kagome forced herself to pull away. The warm arms that had held her so securely as she cried fell away submissively as she sat up and moved backwards. It was hard to look him in the eyes, but she forced herself to do that as well, memorizing how beautiful an indigo color they were. They were concerned, confused; though she didn't want to, she found herself imagining what emotions they would hold in only a few hours' time. Anger. Grief. Pain. He didn't deserve any of it. None at all.  
  
Relinquishing the moment at last, Kagome backed up and looked away, sniffling. "I'm sorry," she found herself saying in a pitifully small voice. "F-forgive me." Inuyasha watched her with meek concern, clearly uncertain on how to handle the situation. "I g-guess you're s-sleeping out here tonight, h-huh?"  
  
"Yeah," came the quiet reply. Then, "Kagome—"  
  
"I-I understand," she interrupted, backing away and breaking into a run back to camp. Inuyasha watched helplessly from his rock, cursing himself and everything but her.  
  
@-}-----------------  
  
Back at camp, the last embers were dying in the fire's circle, casting odd, dancing shadows about the sleeping faces. The only sound, other than the flame's cackling, was the furious scribble of Kagome's pen on paper as she prepared the goodbye note to the friends that she loved. Once she was done, she put the pen back into her bag and stood up, silently. Sango and Miroku were sleeping peacefully, their expressions content. Shippo was so cute, so naive in his sleep. More tears came to her eyes as she reached down and kissed his cheek, smoothing the red hair away from his face. 'Forgive me, Shippo,' she thought as she pressed the note into his small, open hand and closed his fingers around it. 'I love you like my son.....that's why I'm leaving you.'  
  
Standing silently, Kagome backed away from the peaceful, cozy scene before her. Her whisper, as she turned away for one final time, was a hair's breadth above silence. "Sayonara, guys. I'll miss you."  
  
^^^^^^^^^---------^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
I know, I know. You all wanna kill me! Sorry, Emmy! Sorry Hanyouelf! Please, Laura, Moogle, Sanosa, Unigirl, everyone, don't kill me! *Runs away as fruits and veggies pelt her back* Eeeeee! I HAD to do it! It's the CLIMAX of the story!! I have authoress's LISCENSE!!! LITEREARY LISCENSE!!! *Ducks behind deck* And anyway, at least she's done putting it off! I know THAT cliché cliffy was driving you as crazy as it was me! But if it makes you feel any better....there was some fluffiness, and I DO feel terrible..... *Sobs into hanky*  
  
Read and review and I'll update for you! 


	7. Kagome's Letter

The next morning dawned chilly and wet. The sky was the stark shade of barren white-gray; there was little sky showing at all in the early morning, and by first light it was drizzling. Inuyasha had barely had time to shake the sleep from his system when he heard a cry, coming directly from camp. Before he had time to think twice about it, he found himself standing in the midst of camp, looking around for the source of trouble. It was unclear at first what had happened, but this much he had gathered: Shippo was crying into an upset Sango's shoulder, and Miroku was holding a piece of lined paper. Inuyasha recognized it as Kagome's—it was the same that she read from when 'studying.'  
  
"Why'd it have to—?" Shippo was sobbing to Sango, who was making every effort to calm him, although she looked very upset herself. Why would they be so upset over a piece of Kagome's paper? The simple solution would be just to ask the girl what it was all about.....  
  
And then he realized it.  
  
Kagome wasn't there.  
  
She wasn't in camp, or at the river. Though the drizzle made it a bit more difficult to smell, he should've still been able to catch her scent. But he couldn't. His demon senses would've enabled that—the night of the new moon was over. Just to be sure, Inuyasha reached up and pulled a lock of hair in front of his face, wondering if by some chance he was wrong—but no. It was pure silver-white, as usual.  
  
"What's happened?" Inuyasha found himself asking in a rough tone. Everyone looked up at him, their expressions surprised, before turning to something else. Sadness. Dread. Those were understandable, if something bad really had happened. But pity? For him? "Well?" Sango and Miroku exchanged glances, as if discussing something mentally.  
  
"Read this, Inuyasha," Miroku said at last, his voice soft. He handed the paper to the hanyou, who took it, not quite sure what relevance it could possibly have. It was written in Kagome's neat, small handwriting, and it was signed in her name. He was never wonderful at reading, but he managed—slowly. As he puzzled out the meanings to the sounds of the characters, line by line, his mind began spinning.  
  
[[ Dear Minna,  
  
I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I know you're going to feel a lot of different things once you're finished reading this. You're probably mad at me—and that's okay. You have every right to be mad. You're going to be upset. And I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. But I couldn't stay there. It would've been too hard on all of you, and me. You don't deserve this—none of you do. I wouldn't be able to bear putting anything more on your shoulders. But any way I tried it, you would be hurt. There's nothing I could do about this. But I'm still sorry.  
  
Don't cry, Shippo. I know you're wondering why I left you. I didn't do it because I wanted to—I swear that much. You were my friend, and you always will be. I promise. Please don't be sad too long. You don't deserve to be sad. Be happy, for me. I love you.  
  
Sango—you've been the closest thing to a sister I've ever had. You were my best friend for the longest time—I could tell you everything and anything, and for that I thank you. I'm sorry I put such a burden on you—you didn't deserve that any more than anything else that's happened. Be happy and remember all the good times we had. Remember those talks we had about you- know-what? Don't forget what I said—you can't let your opportunity go. I know you'll find the courage to face up to it. I'll miss you.  
  
Miroku—I'll never forget about you. You're so clever, I almost find myself laughing sometimes. Many well-known people haven't had your craftiness, your loyalty—and your astounding ability to get beaten into a pulp by many unfamiliar women (not to mention Sango). You're a great friend, and my biggest role model these last few days. You have so much to worry about, and you always keep smiling, being cheerful—you've given me courage. Thank you for that, and everything.  
  
And Inuyasha. I know you're the most confused right now, and that's entirely my fault as well. I've kept you in the dark these last few days. It wasn't fair to you, it wasn't right; but I couldn't bring myself to tell you. I'm dying, even as you're reading this letter. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to hurt you—I lied to you for that reason, and I feel terrible for it now. Somehow, I guess I thought you'd be mad at me, for waiting so long, or for giving up—I had to give up, Inuyasha. There was no other option. I know you're furious at me right now, and I don't blame you at all. It was stupid of me not to say anything. I was just trying to help you.  
  
But I want you to understand something. All those times you made me upset—I knew you didn't mean it, so don't feel bad, please. I understand that I made you feel really uncomfortable sometimes. You weren't quite sure what to make of most of it, and I don't blame you at all. You are the most steadfast, loyal person I have ever met. You're not half so bad as you make yourself up to be, and I know—deny it if you wanna—you've got a good heart. Everyone who's traveled with you knows it. We don't care what you were—that bothers you, too. We all like you for what you ARE—a good friend, and a good person. Don't ever forget that.  
  
I guess when it comes to that department I was a little off two. I let you know what I was feeling in most cases (usually more than you wanted), but not where it was most important. I could never work up the courage to tell you, in words. It's really pretty cowardly to say it here, in a letter, when you deserved it from me directly. I don't know how much it means at this point....but I love you. I'm going to miss you so much—but please, don't be sad. I'd never want you to be.  
  
So, minna.....I hope you can forgive me for pulling this. I love you all—I hope you'll be happy forever, through the quest and beyond—'cause I know the quest will be finished. Try to forget about all this awful stuff. I hope you can remember me as I'll remember you—as a friend, a family away from home. Please don't come looking for me—you probably won't find me, and if you do, it will be too late.  
  
I'll miss you all. Kagome]]  
  
Inuyasha handed the thing back to Miroku, his hand shaking. "Sh-she.....she was dying." Miroku and Sango watched him with their solemn eyes, which had suddenly become deer-like. "And......you knew it?" No one said anything, neither defending themselves nor verifying his question. But it didn't need to be said. It was obvious. He could feel their sympathy, their sadness, and their pity as he turned and faced the opposite direction so they wouldn't see the single tear that rolled down his face unchecked.  
  
"Inuyasha—" Miroku's hand was on his shoulder as he uncertainly began to speak.  
  
"Well, let's go," he snapped abruptly, whipping around. Miroku's arm dropped back to his side immediately.  
  
"Where are we going?" Shippo sniffled.  
  
"To find Kagome. Where do you think?" He forced his voice to sound sarcastic. Confident. Anything but what he actually felt.  
  
"But, Inuyasha," Shippo continued, his voice tearful, "Kagome said she didn't want us to try to find her."  
  
"So?"  
  
"It would be best.....to respect Kagome-sama's wishes, Inuyasha," Miroku said wearily.  
  
"She doesn't want us to see her this way," Sango murmured in a weak voice. Even though she didn't say it, Inuyasha could tell that Sango really wanted to go after her friend, but was trying to do the right thing. "She doesn't want us to remember her as sick, and......and......" Her voice broke in mid- sentence, losing its force steadily with each moment.  
  
"We have to at least try," Inuyasha persisted, forcing himself to be patient. "Kagome'd look for any of us." No one had an argument to that statement. It was true—and it was the excuse they were all looking for. There was no debate as to what they would do. In record time everything was packed; Sango was dressed in her battle uniform with the boomerang slug across her shoulders; Miroku was ready, staff in hand, with the bundles of Kagome's things he and Sango had lovingly folded together. Shippo was clinging to Sango's shoulder, looking disquieted.  
  
"Which direction should we start in?" Sango inquired, the prospect of hope bringing a new strength to her voice.  
  
"Probably south towards Kaede's village," Inuyasha guessed, but Sango shook her head no.  
  
"If she ran away from us, she wouldn't go to her family. That would be just as bad." Inuyasha was quiet. It made sense.  
  
"How about this." Miroku spoke up, looking calm as ever. Sango, Shippo, Kirara and I will go west. You go east. We'll work our way north and meet there."  
  
"Fine," Inuyasha shrugged. It was a start, at least. He waited until the other four were nearly out of sight before bounding off himself, as fast as he could in the direction Miroku had indicated. 


	8. The search continues

I've never had so many reviews!!! Oh my goodness! I don't know what's gotten into you people—suddenly, my inbox is full of feedback and suggestions and....and....*Dies of happiness* Thanks, guys! We've got tons of new readers, all my favorite oldies, and Moogle came back! Yay, girlie, I was beginning to wonder if my late updates had bored you to death! Thanks to everyone who reviewed—I'm trying to get this up as fast as possible. I promise there'll be a formal personal thank you next chappie—for now, let's just get on with it! You guys deserve it!  
  
^_^----^_^----^_^----^_^----^_^----^_^----^_^----^_^  
  
It had only been three days since Kagome had left her friends forever, but it felt like an eternity. The sun was setting on that third day—evening was setting in eagerly, and she was stuck in the middle of unfamiliar forest, lost and confused and tired. She'd left her sleeping bag and knapsack back at camp, for fear of waking someone by rustling about, so there was no food, no water bottles, and no beddings to keep her comfortable. Ah, well. What was comfort, when her days were closing in on her by the minute? What was comfort, when all the people she cared about were far, far away?  
  
I'm doing this for them, she kept reminding herself. They don't need anything more to worry about. I'm more a burden now then I ever was before.  
  
And so she pushed herself forward—through the uncut, uncharted leaves and branches and mud puddles all over. The dirt beneath her feet was soft and squishy—sure enough to leave footprints. However, the trees were so thick in this place that the floor was only visible if you got down on your knees and looked. Who would be that scrutinizing, to get down and inspect the forest floor? The answer was simple. Her friends would. Despite her request, they were sure to come after her.  
  
But they won't find me, she thought fervently. It'll be the last thing I ever do, but they won't find me.  
  
By that time the last touches of orangey sunset had been squeezed from the sky, and all the heavens above were a beautiful navy-blue black. Kagome decided it was time to quit for the day—her friends were far enough behind, to be sure, and she would faint if she went any further then. Lying on a patch of dead leaves and grass, nestled between two trees, Kagome glanced skyward. The stars and moon twinkled down at her. It was hard to believe that those same things had looked at her every night, up until the fateful night she had left on this crazy venture.  
  
Were her friends looking up at this same moon?  
  
Kagome wondered.  
  
'Inuyasha.....'  
  
@-}--------------------------  
  
Not quite so far away as Kagome had guessed, that same hanyou leapt on. He'd barely stopped for a full hour each day—guilt, anger, and pure stubbornness fueled the quicker-than-normal pace. Scarcely leaving footprints in the dirt at all, he darted from tree to tree, then to the ground, then up again. Always he was moving—sometimes aware of his movements, sometimes trusting his feet as he thought over everything and anything.  
  
It made sense now. Kagome's out burst that last night.....she'd been fighting the desire to tell him. That had been what put the guilt in her eyes; that had been what'd made her seem so helpless, so lost, so scared. She'd clung to him, begging for protection, for a reason to stay, for comfort. He'd tried—but he'd had no idea that she was planning to run away. He'd had no idea that she was dying, even then.  
  
He felt terrible, as if the whole ordeal was his fault. While he hadn't pushed her to leave, he HAD been so cruel with her, and that had made the goodbye even more difficult.  
  
'If only I had known,' He thought bitterly, leaping over a boulder in his path. 'Kagome.....I would've.....I could've talked you out of leaving us! Whatever you were going through, we could've helped you....I could've helped you.....And now, I'm not even sure where you are.' There was no trace of the girl's scent anywhere around. The sun had finally dropped behind the hills off to the distance. 'Miroku and Sango'll be stopping to rest by now,' he thought to himself, glancing up at the moon above his head.  
  
'Kagome....where are you?'  
  
@-}------------------------  
  
"Here's a good place, Sango-sama," Miroku called, stopping abruptly. Sango and Kirara jogged over from their place a few yards back, surveying the small clearing. Darkness was upon them; they would have to stop. Shippo was exhausted, and, though none would admit it, everyone else was, too. They'd been moving at Kirara's fastest jogging pace for three days, resting as little as they could get away with. It was taking its toll on everyone, but they were all determined to keep moving, for Kagome's sake.  
  
"Sure," Sango answered Miroku's claim impassively, dropping her bundle onto the ground. Together they unrolled the simple beddings of cloth and laid the knapsack and things in the corner. Lying rather closer together than usual (and without a fire) everyone prepared to go to shallow sleep for a few hours' time.  
  
Sango glanced up and looked silently around. Shippo was asleep against Kirara, and both were the perfect picture of peace. Miroku was sitting in his typical pose against a tree trunk, looking little drowsier than she felt. Quietly, as not to wake the sleepers, the demon exterminator crept across the small camp and took a seat beside Miroku, carefully avoiding his eyes and trying to ignore the blush that crept across her cheeks.  
  
"So close?" Miroku questioned in a benignly amused tone, his eyes twinkling. Sango scoffed, aware that she was nearly the color of Inuyasha's haori. "Ah, it's all right, Sango. I don't intend on trying anything tonight." His face became suddenly serious, and the laughter died from his voice, to be replaced with a warm softness. "You've got enough to worry about."  
  
It was true. There was much more on her mind at that moment than a single priest's lecherous habits. She found herself wishing that that certain priest would try some sort of comforting; but at the same time, she hoped he wouldn't, for a kind word could be enough to push her into tears. Sango stared at the sleeping bag that lay across camp, looking very wrinkled and forlorn without its owner.  
  
"Two days," she said aloud involuntarily. Miroku glanced down at her inquisitively, his dark eyes softening as they met hers. "That's all the time Kagome's got left....maybe less....." Her voice wavered even as she tried to speak, to make some sturdy comment, to sound independent. Anything but the tearful, little girl she was voicing as. Since when had she been so vulnerable? Sango shifted uneasily, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. 'Now, no more of that. Nobody needs any tears right now.' Aloud, she cleared her throat and said, in a sturdier voice than before, "But we'll find her before it's too late."  
  
"We will," Miroku agreed evenly. "Something tells me Kagome-sama did not truly wish to disappear forever."  
  
"Of course not! She left to help us," Sango said wearily, "and I understand her reasoning, but that was stupid. We'd never want her to go away, especially in these circumstances." Miroku offered no other opinion, and so the two sat side by side in the darkness until sleep claimed them both.  
  
@-}-----------------  
  
Hey, everyone! I know it's short, but bear with me—I wanted to update. So many people asked me to..... And this way, there'll be one more chapter to add, right? Yay! So, tell me guys—what do you WANT to happen? Leave your ideas/suggestions/comments in the review and I'll take them into consideration! Luv ya! Until next time! 


	9. The Last Visitors

It was raining. The clouds that had looked so unpromising the day before decidedly released their wrath upon the ground below. At first it was a light sort of spit-drizzle, but that did not last long. Before little time at all the raindrops were big enough and fast enough to be mistaken for stones falling from the sky. Each and every drop bombarded against everything with a terrible fury.  
  
Lightning and thunder began before too long, shaking the air and sending blinding flashes through the forest. If the going had been tough before, it was much worse now; Kagome could barely see. Moving forward at all was blind guesswork. Her arms and legs were covered with small cuts from leaves and mud from the endless puddles, and her knees and elbows were sore from being fallen on too many times. She felt light-headed and dizzy, in a nearly dream-like state as she tromped forward.  
  
But still she kept going. Almost mechanically, unknowingly, her feet placed themselves in front of one another and then behind again. The footfalls were not steady at all; her knees shook, tired of supporting her weight, and ever step brought her ankle-deep in puddles and mud. It seemed hopeless, but Kagome wasn't thinking any more. All her will was focused on the task of walking. It seemed the only thing worth doing at all.  
  
'The end must be coming,' Kagome thought blankly, surprised to find that the thought didn't bother her anymore. 'How much time have I got....three days? One day?' She couldn't remember, but anyway, that wasn't important anymore. 'Just a bit further....'  
  
Staggering along, her foot caught the unburied root of a large tree. Kagome went sprawling forward, arms too limp and cold to try to catch her weight. She rolled down a hill she hadn't realized was there, splashing through puddles and mud and sticks that were protruding at odd angles. Her world was spinning madly; there was no direction, no color, just wetness and coldness and the deafening sound of thunder in her ears—she wished it would end, wished it would stop—  
  
And then, she was still. Lying on her back in what she could only distinguish as a muddy place, Kagome tried to gain her bearings again. Though she had stopped spinning, her head had not—it was still in a sense of disarray. Raindrops were pounding on her face and in her mouth and eyes—she couldn't see, except for the flashes of light that were visible through her eyelids. Her left ankle, the one that had gotten caught before, was aching, and there appeared to be a rather deep cut on one of her shoulders. It was bleeding feely.  
  
But the only thing she could concentrate on was the whirling of her head. Why wouldn't her thoughts steady? Why couldn't she think?  
  
'It's because....I'm dying....'  
  
The doctors could've been wrong by one day. It certainly wasn't above them, as they couldn't even really tell her what it was. She could've had nine days all along, and this was her last.... 'As long as it's finished,' Kagome thought, 'I don't care. Let me die here before anyone finds me....Just let it be over....' And her eyes closed then, shutting out the rain and the mud and everything else she didn't care was there....  
  
"Kagome."  
  
What was that? A voice?  
  
"Kagome."  
  
It was a familiar voice. Her father? Was that possible?  
  
"Kagome....open your eyes, darling."  
  
Kagome obeyed reluctantly, blinking and looking around blearily. The thunder seemed to have shrunk down to a docile murmur, and the lightning had become a permanent, bright light. There was the beautiful singing she had heard in her dream that day she'd made daisy chains with Shippo, and a person was approaching....who? Her was tall, and slender.... The figure knelt beside her in the mud. Kagome forced her eyes to focus.  
  
"T-tousan?" Her father smiled. He was dressed, no longer in his business suit, but in a robe of shining white that the mud and rain couldn't seem to touch. His face was benignly calm, with his eyes twinkling and his mouth curved into a happy smile. "Have you....come to take me with you, tousan?"  
  
"No, Kagome."  
  
'No?'  
  
"I've come to tell you....don't give up yet."  
  
"Don't....give up? But, tousan....I'm....I'm dying...."  
  
"Yes, love, I know." Her father, leaned a bit closer. She could see his face so plainly....he was close enough to touch, but her arms would not obey. "But you mustn't give up. It's not your time, Kagome. You're too young. Hold on a bit longer, and everything'll be okay."  
  
How would it be okay? She was going to die from a mysterious disease. What could she do about it?  
  
"T-tousan....I'm tired...."  
  
"I know. You must fight it as long as you can."  
  
"Why?" Kagome's eyelids were so heavy....she wished just to close them, but didn't dare, for fear her father would disappear. She didn't want him to leave again.  
  
"Trust me, Kagome. You have to keep awake." A brighter spark of light flashed behind him, and her father glanced back. Turning back to Kagome a moment later, he smiled as he had when she was little. "I have to go now, Kagome. Someone else is coming to talk to you." Began to stand.  
  
"Wait....d-don't leave me, daddy." She reached up then and caught his sleeve. It was the softest thing she'd ever felt, and it was warm....Her father's warm hand met hers as he knelt beside her once more, patiently. Setting her hand down and kissing her cheek, he murmured, "I have to go, love. I love you."  
  
"I've m-missed you," Kagome said, staring into his face blearily. "Souta misses you t-too....and m-mama...."  
  
"And I miss you all," her father answered lovingly, touching her hand once more as he stood. "I love you, Kagome. Please, don't give up." And before she could stop him, he was gone, into a burst of light. Kagome expected it to be over, but the singing didn't cease. She closed her eyes, savoring the beautiful noise and wishing sleep to come.....  
  
"Kagome...."  
  
Again, there was a voice. This one was not familiar. It was a woman's voice—soft and mild and comforting as the singing was. Opening her eyes once more, slowly, Kagome was aware of two new figures kneeling by her side. One was a woman, obviously the one whose voice she had heard; she was beautiful, and familiar looking with her silky black hair cascading down her shoulders and her shining indigo eyes.... The other person was a man. He also looked somewhat familiar. His hair was a silvery, sparkling color, and his eyes were deep amber....  
  
And then she realized who they were.  
  
Inuyasha's parents.  
  
Both of them waited patiently beside her. The lady stroked her arm with one hand and held her husband's with the other, smiling warmly. Kagome found speech rather difficult; she had never imagined meeting either of them. At one glance she could see that Myouga's stories of Inuyasha's father had been true. His features were soft and noble, but she could sense, as with Inuyasha, a power lying beneath the surface of those beautiful eyes. Inuyasha's mother was soft-featured and patient; obviously, a wonderful, caring mother.  
  
But why were they there?  
  
"Y-you're.....you're Inuyasha's parents...." She sounded surprisingly wispy.  
  
"Yes," the woman answered quietly. Kagome smiled, feeling calmer by the moment.  
  
"And you....c-came to see me?" They nodded. "Wh-why?"  
  
"For the same reason your father did," the youkai answered. His voice, deep and powerful, was toned down to a mellow sound. She saw now where Sesshomaru had inherited his calmness. But this man had no aloofness about him. "To tell you not to give in just yet."  
  
"You must wait just a little longer, Kagome-chan," Inuyasha's mother continued for him, her hand becoming still on her arm. "Help is on the way, but it will not do you any good if you allow yourself to be taken now."  
  
"Who's c-coming?" Kagome asked laboriously, forcing her eyes open for the hundredth time in so many minutes. The two spirits exchanged glances but said nothing for the longest time.  
  
She was so tired.....  
  
It was the silver-haired inu-youkai that spoke, his voice sounding faraway, just as her eyes closed for one last time.  
  
"He will be here soon. Hold on."  
  
@-}--------------  
  
It was raining enough to flood an entire village, but Inuyasha was not about to give up. Kagome had little more than a day left....and he had little more than a day left to find and help her. He moved so fast that mud was flying from under his feet like fireworks, in all possibly directions. As he turned one corner and jumped another hole, a thorny branch caught his sleeve, ripping a hole and cutting deep into his arm.  
  
"Sh*t," he muttered angrily under his breath, pressing a hand to stop the flow of blood that rushed forth. He was getting more and more frustrated by the moment; the forest had suddenly gotten so thick that he couldn't see, and there were more holes and trenches here than there had been. As he forced himself forward, the branches clawing at his arms, he caught a faint scent amongst the rain.  
  
It was blood. 


	10. The Searching Ends

*Backs away from the flying objects her readers are throwing* Ghaa!! Gomen, guys! I'm sorry! Aaah! *Hides face behind arms, looking tearful* I DIDN'T MEAN IT! I SWEAR! I love Kagome as much as any of you people do, but this fic was written for the purpose of conveying drama, angst, and romance between our two favorite main characters! I must be mean to her, at least for a little while, or else this would turn into a cliché, OOC piece of work, and I am NOT about to let that happen!!  
  
*Mutters something about violent readers and begins the A/N's*  
  
Emmy: Yay! Emmy's still here, and she's not throwing things at me!! *Huggles*  
  
Seaouryou: It will, it will!! *Winces at tone of voice*  
  
Taran-Wanderer: Aye, aye, more chappies! Thanks for the compliment!  
  
Remix-69er: *Updates, looking confused*  
  
Jo-jo: Most certainly I will....continue....  
  
Aja: Thanks for reading!  
  
Megu-sama: Ah! You read my ficcy? *Flattered starry eyes* Wow! For those of you who haven't yet, please go check out Megu-chan's ficcy, Dorming with Inuyasha. It's super-awesome!  
  
Uni-Girl: Yeah, a magical cure would be too cliché. I agree.  
  
Wave-Rider: Sure, thanks for stopping by!  
  
Inuyasha-n-kenshin: Well, I dunno.....why don't we read the chapter and find out! Buahahahaha!  
  
Wierd0: I LIKE that word! Fan-ficish. That's awesome. I've got one for you: Splost.  
  
Bscl43: That quote you mentioned....it should be explained soon.  
  
Sailor Yang: What will happen? READ! And then...you shall know....^_^  
  
Moogle: The first thing I'd like to say is....whoa. O.o' *Hands you a glass of warm milk and a blanket* Like, don't flip out, kay? *Thinks* And don't send the apocalypse bunnies after me, either. It took me weeks to get rid of them last time. I'm updating, I updating! I'm sorry for breaking your poor little reviewer heart, but don't just ASSUME anything just yet! The ficcy's not over, my plot's not finished, and....well..... Golly! Thanks for the....er....compliment! Love to know all this writing's appreciated! Just a piece of friendly advice: If you go around shaking people on the street, don't let them see your face. That way, they can't identify you and sue you for assault. ^_-  
  
Thanks a bunch to everyone that reviewed! Almost 80 reviews....WOW!!! ^_^ On with the story that's obviously made lots of people want to murder me!  
  
-----------------------------  
  
It was a well-known fact to all of the people that knew Inuyasha that the halfling could move very fast when he had a reason to. Kagome'd asked once, shortly after they'd met, if he could fly. He'd regarded the question as stupid then—but he rather understood it now, as he rushed with everything he was towards the faint scent of blood. To any onlooker, his running very well might've been mistaken for flying. The new day was dawning with still more rain, and the very thing that might've been Kagome's lifeline was fading away into the aroma of storm.  
  
That was the thought that chilled him—it was Kagome's last day. His time—as well as hers—was running out, and the only hope he had of helping was diminishing. That's not to say he was planning to give up—he'd be darned if he'd let that wench die off somewhere, cold and alone. At the beginning of their search he had been angry, frustrated, hurt with her—now, with so little hope left, he began to see the situation from her standpoint. She'd been trying to protect her friends....  
  
'Even me,' Inuyasha thought with shame. 'The same person that called her weak and stupid and coward....' He regretted all that now, despite what the letter had said. He wasn't angry with her anymore—he was frustrated with the weather that seemed to be purposefully holding him back. Her was angry with himself, for not following her that last night, not questioning or being persistent when she was obviously in trouble. But he would find her, he promised himself. He would save her, as always, and everything would be fine.  
  
As always.  
  
'Hang on, Kagome. I'm coming.'  
  
---***---***---***---***---***---***---  
  
"Sango—wake up—"  
  
The demon exterminator's eyes snapped open at the tone of urgency in the monk's whisper. He was so close that his lips brushed her ear. Slowly, with one hand, he pulled her into a sitting position against the tree they had been sharing as a prop throughout night watch. Kirara was sitting on her lap, and Shippo was nestled in between them, halfway hidden by the two larger bodies. He was fearful and shaking; Sango automatically put a hand to his head.  
  
"What's wrong, Miroku?" Her own voice was a whisper.  
  
"There's a demonic aura close," the priest warned in a low tone, his eyes flickering about the murky part of the forest they had stayed the night in. "A pretty strong one, too." Shippo's nose was twitching back and forth like a rabbit's, and Sango knew he was searching for a scent. Apparently, he couldn't catch anything, because he looked up a moment later with confusion on his features.  
  
The bushes rustled. Sango's hand flew to her boomerang, which was lying close, and Miroku's hand tightened on his staff. Shippo whimpered and Kirara growled, baring her teeth to whoever was lurking close. The group was holding their breath, pressed together against the tree trunk and waiting for the thing to strike before they moved to counter it—  
  
With an almighty rustle and a snapping of branches, the foliage opened up to reveal a very ugly, if not so intelligent, demon. It looked vaguely like a smaller version of Goshinki, only just topping Miroku's height. Its dull, red-as-fire eyes searched around the clearing for several moments before settling on the people huddled together against the tree. It let out a hiss of delight, baring its teeth and coming closer slowly—  
  
Squelsh! Sango's boomerang made a sick, squishing noise as it sliced through the demon's body and continued in that direction before turning on itself and flying back into its master's waiting hand. Sango glanced, annoyed at her bloodied weapon, and then back to the priest. "Ugh....Is -this- the 'strong aura' you sensed, Miroku?"  
  
"No."  
  
---***---***---***---***---***---***---  
  
Demons were close. Inuyasha noted this fact with worry, still bounding along. There was no reason to worry about himself—he was confident that he could prevent anything that cared to try to directly attack him. It was Kagome he was worried over, for if she was indeed sick, mightn't her reflexes be slower? Would her senses be duller than usual? Or, even worse, if she was lying unconscious somewhere, what was to stop some low-lever scavenger from eating her then and there? She was bleeding, after all, and that would attract every hungry monster from miles around. Human was a delicacy, and one that wouldn't struggle was an easy meal.  
  
What was stopping them?  
  
He was.  
  
The source of the blood smell was coming steadily closer. He couldn't have been more than a mile away from it—even the rain wasn't enough to weaken the smell now. It was quite a bit of blood. Kagome could've—no. She was too strong for something like that. She would be fine. As always. That was becoming the constant refrain: as always. For forever. Inuyasha was not anywhere near willing to relinquish all that hope, and the confidence that everything would be okay.  
  
Blood was up ahead. In the clearing, now so close....Inuyasha's steps became tentative. He paused before the clump of trees....there was a hill here, and a trench below. That was where the smell had been coming from—that was where his every instinct had led him. That was most likely where Kagome was....in whatever condition she might be in. He was afraid of what he would find there. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself.  
  
He gathered his courage and took a breath, sliding down the hill to the muddy trench at the bottom.  
  
-----------------------  
  
So it's an evil cliffie! Don't hurt me, I'm trying not to break back into my old habit of rushing into the end of this ficcy. Of course, I'm doing so at the risk of being murdered by some seriously annoyed readers...but still. You'll thank me later, I promise! (I hope...)  
  
So remember, guys....  
  
Feedback+Ficcy=happy authoress=quicker updates  
  
Ja ne! Till next time! 


	11. Battle Tactics

Eeep! *Cowers behind Sanji, whimpering as Moogle sharpens the ladle* Save me.....  
  
Sanji: *Glances reproachfully* It took you ten chapters to bring me into the story, Tailz....  
  
Tailz: *Whining, latches onto his knees* I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorryyyyy.....  
  
Sanji: All right, easy! *Puts an arm around her shoulders*  
  
Tailz: ^-^ *Caught up in the moment* *Suddenly remembers that Moogle, and a few other readers, are plotting her death* Uhhh....Guys.... *Hurries to explain* You see, I wanted to make the ficcy more interesting and I wanted to make it a decent length and my mind was drawing a blank, but I couldn't NOT review, cause then, like, I'd be MURDERED, and I'm STILL going to be murdered cause I'm an evil cliffy-writer and no body likes me and—  
  
Sanji: *Covers her mouth with his hand* Let's tell them what you were planning to say earlier. *Clears throat* *Reads from a piece of paper* 'Thanks soooooooooo much for all the reviews, guys! I'm, like, soooooooooooo thrilled that soooooooo many people read my ficcy! Yay! I'm sorry about this cliffy, and all, but I really feel that it will add suspense to the story, so it's worth it. Enjoy the new chappie, kay?'  
  
Tailz: -_- *Rocks back and forth in a fetal position* They're going to murder me, Sanji....WITH MY OWN PROP!!! And a knife, and a toothbrush, and Emmy even tried tai chi..... *Goes insane....-er, and crashes to the floor in a convincing faint*  
  
Sanji: *Looking peeved* Maybe if you end the stupid author's note and give them the chapter, they'll forgive you.  
  
Tailz: That is the STUPIDEST idea I ever heard! Let's just face it! I'm doomed! I'm—*Is unable to finish her sentence as Sanji has knocked her out for real with the ladle*  
  
Sanji: Ahem. Here's the chapter, guys and girls. Enjoy. *Proceeds to drag authoress back into her computer chair*  
  
@-}------//-------------  
  
Sliding down the mud-covered hill, Inuyasha had to call upon all his demon- born grace to stay upright. The stuff was slippery to say the least—of course, if one wanted to go into detail, the words goopy, cold, and downright uncomfortable could be added. He was up to his ankles in the filth, and the hill seemed to stretch on forever at the pace he was going—slow, so he wouldn't slip and accidentally land on Kagome if she were laying at the bottom. It was entirely probable that, in her state of obvious illogicalness, she had lost her balance and fallen down into the gully below. He didn't like the idea at all; it gave one more reason to be worried.  
  
At last, the sliding ended and Inuyasha found himself on level, if not completely solid, ground. He had been right about this being a gully—there was mud enough to come up to his ankles at least, and it was as cold as the stuff on the hill had been. The rain was harder here; the trees had opened up more fully. At one time, he might've enjoyed being in a place like this—if the sun had been filtering through the trees and he wasn't completely sure that he was about to find his half-dead friend lying nearby.  
  
Gracefully, the hanyou pulled his feet from the muck and leapt through the tree cover that surrounded the smell of gully....and blood. Landing stiffly erect, he glanced about quickly, analyzing everything in sight. Mud, puddles, a mound of mud.... That was all he could see. But that couldn't be right! Where was the smell of blood coming from? He took a double take, looking around again more thoroughly. Mud, puddles, a mound....wait. Behind the ....there was something else visible. Inuyasha walked a bit closer, inquiringly—and stopped dead as his heart skipped a beat. There was his friend, lying covered so completely in mud that she was nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding murk.  
  
"Kagome...."  
  
Without thinking, he was by her side, scanning for the injury that had brought him there. The possibility of broken bones was the only thing that kept him from lifting the prone figure into his arms and holding her until she woke up. Her ankles, they looked to be broken, and there was a pretty deep cut bleeding on her shoulder. But her face was worse.  
  
It was much paler than it should've been—stark white, almost corpse-like. Her expression was peaceful, too, as if mirroring death.... But, no. She was breathing, if not shallowly, and the none-too-steady rhythm of her heart was there as well. He would have to move her, as much as he didn't want to.  
  
As gently as he knew how, Inuyasha reached over and lifted the small, still figure of his friend from the ground. Kneeling and cradling her in one arm against his chest, he removed his soaked (but warm) fire-rat clothing and wrapped that around her, for all the good it would do. He would have to get out of there fast—Kaede's village was almost a day away, and it was well into the afternoon already—  
  
*Rustle....rustle....* The bushes behind them gave a little shake. Inuyasha whipped around automatically, his hand touching Tetsusaiga's steely hilt. The smell of demons was all around now, despite the rain—how could he have missed it? Angry with himself for getting Kagome (and himself) into such danger, he bellowed to whatever was in the bushes, "Show yourself!"  
  
Obligingly enough, the foliage parted, and two very ugly, very smelly ogres came into the clearing. Inuyasha was reminded unpleasantly of Goshinki. The two things were probably related somehow—their rancid stenches were very alike. Brothers. Battling with brothers was never fun, because usually, if you killed one, the other was mad as hell. The Thunder Brothers had illustrated this fact wonderfully, not so terribly long ago. He'd come close to almost losing Kagome then—but that was not going to happen this time.  
  
And speaking of Kagome....what was he to do with her? Running wouldn't work—they'd just follow, and he'd probably be caught from behind. No matter what happened, he was not going to lay her on the ground—while she was battling one of them, the other would have the opportunity to hurt her. The only other option was to attempt combat with Kagome still in his arms. It would be a challenge, but not impossible.  
  
He could manage....right?  
  
Right.  
  
As quickly as he could, he shifted Kagome's dead weight into one of his arms so that she was lying against him with her head draping over his shoulder. With the other hand, he drew Tetsusaiga, which transformed with a flash of light. "All right, b*st*rds," he said grimly. "Come and get me." Dumbly, the things charged forward, whipping their scaly, reptilian tails in ever direction and snarling like an annoyed animal. Testing out his new balance, Inuyasha leapt to the side—or, rather, he staggered.  
  
It was more difficult than he had thought.  
  
The second attack came too quickly for Inuyasha to move in time—one of the demons' tails came whipping out at him. It cut shallowly across his left forearm, and Kagome's cheek, as well. Crimson blood, a dark contrast against her colorless face, pooled up there and ran down, a single droplet, and dropped from her chin. That was enough. With one fell swoop he killed the closest ogre and left its brother glaring stupidly at its corpse.  
  
Apparently angered, the thing charged at him, baring its yellowed fangs. It made to attack with its tail as the other had, but this time, Inuyasha was ready. He pulled Tetsusaiga above his head—ignoring the fact that his sword- hand had brushed the bleeding scrape, and it hurt—and dropped a bone- crushing swoop onto the ogre's skull. It fell to the ground then, unmistakably dead.  
  
"Humph," Inuyasha scoffed arrogantly, turning away from the dead bodies and sheathing the bloody Tetsusaiga. He glanced down at Kagome's still, peaceful face, his expression softening. Unconsciously, he ran his bloody finger over the scratch the demon's tail had given her. She didn't wince—she should've. "Kagome," he murmured. "Can you hear me?" That was stupid. Of course she couldn't.  
  
He put a hand to her face. It was icy and wet....shouldn't she be shivering? She couldn't be so sick that her body had completely given up on surviving....could she? Inuyasha was no healer, but he could tell she needed help....and fast. With one swift leap, he cleared the steep hill and rocketed off in the direction he had come.  
  
His arms tightened around her, bringing her closer to his body. He hoped the heat would keep her well long enough to get to Kaede....  
  
'Hold on, Kagome....I won't fail you. Just hold on."  
  
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Sanji: *Hands out tissues for the waff-lovers and Styrofoam versions of the authoress for the angry readers to tear to shreds* I know, I know, it was another evil cliffy. But, in all fairness to Tailz, she updated, and that lump on her head is pretty good revenge....  
  
Tailz: *Tosses in sleep* Mmhhmm....Splost.....  
  
Sanji: *Looks annoyed* I promised I would do this, but it's so stupid....maybe I can get away with not doing it—  
  
Tailz: *Whomps Sanji repeatedly over the head in her sleep*  
  
Sanji: All right! All right! *Bats Tailz away* Sheesh!  
  
Reviews+ficcy=Happy Authoress=updates  
  
Ja ne, everyone. 


	12. Lost in Limbo

Tailz: Is tied to a chair with very heavy, very rust chains Mmhm!  
  
Sanji: Dusts hands off You're probably wondering why the authoress is tied to the chair, aren't you, reader?  
  
Reader: Uhhh....no, not really.  
  
Sanji: Well, it's because I'm still getting your revenge! :)  
  
Reader: Brightens Ooh, I LIKE that plan!  
  
Sanji: Yes! I had to revive her, so she could write the chapter—I don't want you guys hunting ME down too—but as soon as she was done I tied her to the chair!  
  
Tailz: O.o (Perverted mind got the best of her)  
  
Sanji: O.O NOT LIKE THAT! SHEESH!  
  
Emmy: Cheering for one-hundred reviews, yo....Let's cheer! Hand-clap  
  
Tailz: -  
  
Moogle: Continues to glare ominously at Tailz  
  
Tailz: O.O; Mmmmm.....Saanjiii......  
  
Every other Reader: Waits for the chapter to begin, holding knives and such  
  
Sanji: Well....onward!  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Darkness. That was what Kagome saw all around her. Or rather, what she didn't see. There was not a spark of light—no shape, no color, no...nothing. It was completely silent and completely still. And nerve-racking. Experimentally, she waved a hand in front of her face. Nothing. She couldn't feel anything solid beneath her feet—was she floating? Was...was she....dead?  
  
"Hello?" Kagome whimpered, and her own voice answered back in several voices each much different than hers: Hello, hellooooo, hellllllooo.... It was like an echo with a mind with its own. She didn't like it. Once the echoes died out, the air seemed to vibrate, as if it wasn't quite ready to give up what little sound it occasionally had. The air's vibrating seemed to intensify—  
  
And then the screaming started.  
  
It was so sudden that Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin—assuming she still had skin. There were so many voices among the noise—children, women, men, girls, boys....they all sounded so agonized. And loud. The very noise of it seemed to shake her bones around (if she still had them.) It didn't seem to be coming from any particular direction, but from every side, every angle, every molecule around. Kagome had to wonder then: had she fallen into the fiery abyss. The cries were certainly tormented enough.  
  
Just as the thought crossed her mind, there was a soft chuckle behind her. Kagome whipped around, looking frightfully in every direction—but, of course, it was dark, and she couldn't see anymore than she had facing whatever direction she had started facing. "Wh-who are you?" Her voice sounded unbearably squeaky, successfully giving away her fear. "Where are you?"  
  
The laugh sounded again, this time accompanied by another, higher one. Just as the screaming and the echoes had, the laughter seemed to be coming from every direction at once. Kagome prepared herself to ask again, in a firmer voice, the questions she'd asked before, but as she took a breath, a light appeared. It started as a tiny, golden orb, floating bodilessly before her, suspended in the middle of an eternity of darkness.  
  
And then, all at once, the little ball of light decided it wanted to be a big ball of light. It expanded, in a flash, and drifted downwards like amber snowflakes. It gathered at the foot of the light-sphere and began to rise up again, taking shape. Before long at all, two human-figures were outlined out of the dust. The figures gave themselves a shake and the gold took its place around them like the light it was. Kagome found herself within feet of two gray-cloaked figures.  
  
"Welcome, Higarashi Kagome." The person on the left, the taller one, spoke. It was obviously a male—the voice was a full, deep base. Strangely enough, his voice didn't echo.  
  
Kagome swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. She needed to ask these people who they were, why she was here, where this WAS—  
  
"My name is Tsuki, Higarashi-san." That was the other, the shorter figure. She was a female—her voice, in contrast to the other's, was higher and clearer. "This is my partner, Masaru." Kagome nodded and bowed shakily without thinking. Halfway down she managed to see something—her feet! Her shoes! Her legs! They were all there! She put a hand in front of her eyes, and was overjoyed to see that as well. A wild hope rose up in her chest—maybe, she wasn't—  
  
"Do not get too hopeful, Higarashi-san," Masaru said softly. "Your trial is not finished just yet."  
  
"Trial?" Her hope was squashed immediately. "You mean, I'm—"  
  
"Dead?" Tsuki finished calmly. "You are not dead, Higarashi-san. But you are not far from it. You shall have to conquer a challenge in order to get your physical body back."  
  
"The...Trial?" Kagome guessed uncertainly. She didn't much like the idea of staking her life on one event, but what choice did she have?  
  
"Precisely," the hooded people answered together, snapping her from her thoughts.  
  
"B-but....I have a blood disease," Kagome said, sounding hesitant. "Wh-why aren't I dead yet? And why....am I being given a Trial?"  
  
"Surely you don't wish to remain dead?" Masuru's voice was guarded.  
  
"No, no of course not," she replied hastily. "It's just—"  
  
"The Trial will proceed shortly, Higarashi-san," Tsuki interrupted as evenly as ever. "You will be given one small request, and we will fulfill it to the best of our ability. Choose carefully." Kagome's mouth snapped shut in mid-protest. They were doing her a favor; she had every intention of taking advantage of it. But what to wish for? They'd said a small request....so....  
  
"Can you....show me my friends?" Kagome inquired. As the words tumbled from her mouth, a glowing orb, no unlike the one Tsuki and Masaru had come from, materialized in front of her. It glowed a bright indigo before flashing into a moving picture. As if viewed through a round television, Kagome saw each of her friends in turn. Miroku and Sango rushed through the rain, sheltering Shippo as best they could with their cloaks, Kirara at their heels; her school friends stopped by her front door, holding get-well balloons and talking animatedly with her grandfather; Inuyasha struggled through the murk, holding a red bundle close to his body—  
  
And then, with another spark of light, the orb was gone, and she was looking at her solemn guides once more. It was then that Kagome realized tears were rolling down her cheeks, slowly. "I-I'm ready for the Trial now, Tsuki-san," she whimpered, sniffling and brushing her wet face with a palm.  
  
"Very well," Tsuki said solemnly. Suddenly, a light brighter than anything she'd ever seen engulfed the darkness, and then....there was nothing.  
  
--------------------  
  
Tailz: Free of the ropes at last How's that for a plot twist? I was planning on ending this fic here, but what fun would that be? And anyway, I must admit, I'm kinda reluctant to relinquish this ficcy just yet....it's my most popular ever, and probably my best. But I think you'll forgive me. More to read, right?  
  
Readers: ...... Begin sharpening weapons on rocks  
  
Sanji: O.o; Backs away Taaaaillz....they're scaring me....  
  
Both back into a corner, surrounded by armed readers  
  
Tailz: O.O Be reaaally still, maybe they won't notice us.... Blanches as an arrow stabs into the wall inches from her face Eh-heh..... 


	13. Kagome's Trial

Tailz: ONE-HUNDRED REVIEWS!!! YAYYYY!! Throws streamers Teary eyes Thanks everyone! If it weren't for you, I—  
  
Sanji: For lord's sake....they're reviews, not Grammies, Tailz....  
  
Readers: Still sharpening weapons in the background  
  
Tailz: Sweatdrop SOMEBODY'S a little impatient....  
  
Sanji: That's your fault, you know....  
  
Tailz: My fault?!  
  
Sanji: Nods knowingly Everything's your fault.  
  
Tailz: Oh...Right—Is bonked on the head by a very impatient Rain O- Is whapped over the head by Moogle, who is holding the ladle  
  
Rain, Moogle, and every other Reader: GET ON WITH IT!!!  
  
Tailz: Eh....heh.... X.X  
  
-------------------------  
  
They were standing in a barren wasteland. The ground was a sooty, flaky ash that came up to Kagome's ankles with every step she took. It was strangely stuffy and humid, almost as if it were about to rain—but the nuked-white sky showed no sign of any sort of weather. There was no breeze at all; a heavy odor hung over the entire place. It smelled....of brimstone.  
  
Kagome glanced at Tsuki, just as the hooded face turned towards her. "This is where your trial will take place, Higarashi-san. Keep your wits about you." And with that, she disappeared suddenly—not with a flash of light or sparkle. She was just....there one minute and gone the next. Kagome blinked, deciding she preferred it when people entered through doors instead. Glancing around, she noted duly that every direction looked the same: as nothing. The sooty smell was beginning to tickle her nose, too. Was that the trial, to keep from sneezing yourself to death in the grubby desert?  
  
Ssssssshhhh... As if answering Kagome's call, the wind picked up. At first it began as a little breeze; then it doubled. It became a cyclone of ash with a midnight tempest's fury, picking up apparently every speck of ash and whipping it mercilessly in every direction. Kagome covered her face with her hands as best she could, wincing as she felt the stuff hit her skin. Her hair was whipping about, her eyes watering, and her ears were full only of the wind's howling—she wanted it to end, to be over with, to stop—  
  
And then, as if someone had turned off a giant fan, it became still.  
  
"Hello, little miko...."  
  
There was a voice, close. Kagome glanced up cautiously glancing about for a few seconds before she spotted the person who'd spoken. He was a red- cloaked figure standing a good distance away. His face was hooded like Tsuki's and Maseru were—shadowed, mysterious. There were wisps of black hair fluttering in the non-existent wind that seemed to swirl only around him.  
  
Kagome had a bad feeling forming in her throat. An evil aura hung around the veiled man (she assumed it was a man—his voice was deep.) His voice had held that foreboding, cold tone that sent a tremor down her spine. The hair on the back of her neck was prickling uncomfortably, and everything in her was screaming at her to run.  
  
The figure laughed at her obvious deliberation. His chuckle was cold and cruel. "What's the matter, Kagome-sama? Are you frightened of me?" He took a step forward and Kagome unconsciously stepped back a pace. The evil laugh sounded again. "You are afraid. And you should be." He took another step closer, and Kagome stepped back.  
  
"Wh-who are you?" Her voice quivered, and the figure chuckled some more. "Wh-what are you?" The thing stepped forward, clearly enjoying the game of cat-and-mouse as Kagome moved further from him again.  
  
"I..." Step. "Am..." Step. "Your Trial." He stopped, and the hood lifted up so that, if she could see his face, it would've been facing her. "I don't doubt Tsuki and Maseru warned you of me. Did they not? You look very stricken. Or maybe you weren't expecting me. You were probably expecting some big, stupid demon like you're used to. Hmm?"  
  
Kagome didn't answer him. She HAD been expecting a demon. Could 'Her Trial' read minds?  
  
"You were expecting a demon, I see. Well, if that's so, I'd hate to disappoint you." He laughed manically, raising his arms as of to embrace someone. Immediately, a whirlwind not unlike the one preceding his appearance swept up, throwing sand all over the dust land again. When at last the stuff cleared, Kagome lowered her hands and shook her head, shaking the sand away.  
  
THUMP.  
  
What a loud noise! It sounded heavy.  
  
THUMP.  
  
The ground shook. It was behind her. Kagome had a sudden vision of the movie Godzilla. Without turning, she knew that something very big and very unfriendly was behind her, coming closer with every thunderous step. But she still had to see it, to size up her challenge. She took a trembling breath and whipped around, looking upwards where she figured the thing's face would be.  
  
And she screamed.  
  
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Readers: O.o  
  
Sanji: Tailz, I would advise you run away before their shock wears off and they assassinate you for the evil cliffy.  
  
Tailz: They wouldn't do that! I just updat— Stops as an arrow pins her shirt to the wall EEP! GUYS!!!! 


	14. Arrival in the Village

::Tainz and Sanji walk down the hallway very close together::  
  
Tainz: ::Blushes:: Why are we walking so close?  
  
Sanji: ::Talks out of the side of his mouth:: We're shepherding Tailz down the hallway so the bloodthirsty suspense-haters won't kill her before she can finish the story.  
  
Tainz: Ooooh....gotcha.  
  
Tailz: ::Whimper:: ::Clings to Sanji's sleeves:: H-hope you guys like fluff, cause this chapter's all fluffery....  
  
-----------------  
  
One day had passed since he'd first arrived in Kaede's village. One excruciating, never-ending, _unnerving_ day of waiting, sitting, and obeying for Inuyasha. He'd done everything the old woman had asked—gathered herbs, collected water, fetched the other medically trained elders, prepared food, and even babysat a bunch of brats Kaede was supposed to be responsible for.  
  
This new disease had completely baffled Kaede. She'd tried every remedy for every ailment with remotely the same symptoms to no avail. None of the herby medicines had helped in the least. The other elders could shed no light on the situation. Inuyasha had no doubt that the doctors in Kagome's time could do little more, as they had obviously sentenced her to die by the look of the bottles of painkiller in her backpack.  
  
And so, the very distressed Kaede had settled with wrapping the small, ceaselessly cold body in thick blankets and building a fire in the gate. They'd been forced to move her out of the familiar hut and to the sick house, for fear of sickening the village's only competent healer. The sick house was smaller, and darker, even with the fire blazing in the center of the room. It smelled of sickness and herbs and damp, decaying wood. Wind would've swept through the walls if not for the many patches made of sheep's wool and cotton.  
  
At his own request, Inuyasha had been given permission to stay with her. According to the old woman's unspoken opinion, Kagome's life was hanging by a tiny thread. Though he never would've admitted it to anyone, Inuyasha understood her reasoning. No human should ever be as pale or as cold as Kagome was. It terrified him to no end, so that he even found himself monitoring her breathing. There was but a flutter of life in the prone, blanketed form, but he wouldn't allow it to escape. He wouldn't let another woman die.  
  
There was little at all the hanyou could do for her. He could tend the fire to keep it blazing as large as possible. He could try to pour some water down her throat. He could wrap the blankets more snugly every few minutes, but nothing seemed to help. Kagome was cold and still and silent no matter what he did. She didn't shiver, as humans should when they were cold; she didn't stir, as Kaede said even the sickliest people usually could.  
  
But he would _not _just sit there and watch her die. He would not—_could _not—live with the knowledge that he had just allowed her to quit, to leave him and everyone else as well. The only useful thing he could think of was to warm her up a bit—the fire and blankets didn't seem to be doing any good at all. So, with utmost care, Inuyasha lifted the blanketed figure from the hut's floor and brought her to his lap.  
  
Carefully, he peeled the blankets away. Kagome looked even frailer and sicker without their shell covering her. She felt so light—and clammy. He pulled her to his chest, and settled against the wall, covering her outward- facing side with all the quilts Kaede had piled on before He almost shivered in spite of himself. The feeling of her flesh against his was cold to the touch.  
  
Inuyasha nearly blushed. It was a rather intimate position Kagome probably wouldn't have approved of if she'd been awake and lucid. He was stretched out, his back against the wall with the still girl lying against him sideways across his lap. Her head was lying on his chest just below his throat; he could feel her light breath tickling his neck. The slender, limp fingers were encased in his own warmer ones, like pale porcelain against muddy clay.  
  
His fingers ran through the glossy black locks absentmindedly. The silvery- white hair of his own head fell over his shoulders and mixed with the charcoal black. Night and day. Dark and light. Inuyasha and Kagome. What opposites they were. Where he was insulting and brash, Kagome was kind and careful. Where he was moody and confused, Kagome was cheerful and content. Or, at least, she did a good job of acting the part.  
  
He'd never known such innocence, such trust as that that Kagome possessed. His gaze softened as he glanced at her oblivious face. She shouldn't be the one lying here, an inch from death in a sick house. She deserved nothing of the sort. She should be awake and well, out playing with Shippo in the fields and laughing, encouraging them all to keep an upbeat attitude.  
  
But....she'd so rarely had a chance lately. It'd been a mad rush against time to gain the dwindling amount of remaining Shikon shards before Naraku did. Speed and complete concentration had been demanded every moment from her and from all the other companions. Inuyasha closed his eyes guiltily, feeling shame wash over him for the first time in awhile. He'd realized how hard it had been on them—and he hadn't made any effort to make the pace calmer. Maybe if he'd tried, given them a few breaks every now and then, Kagome wouldn't be so sick.  
  
The idea alone was enough to make him squirm. Could he have prevented all this from happening? There was nothing he could do about it now. Only time would tell if his decisions would cost his friend her life.  
  
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Tailz: ::Cries into a hanky::  
  
Sanji: Shhh, Tailz! They'll find you!  
  
Tailz: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!  
  
Readers: ::Burst through the door::  
  
Tailz: T.T WAAAAAAAAA!!! I'M SORRY FOR THE CLIFFY, GUYS! BUT ISN'T IT JUST TOO SAD?  
  
Sanji: For Kami's sake, Tailz, you wrote it!  
  
Tailz: I know but... poor Inu-chan.... I'm so mean to him!!! Can we buy him a sympathy basket?  
  
Sanji: Erm... I don't think that will help.  
  
Tailz: ::Sniffle:: Right... To answer Anandria's question, I'm making the chappies short so I can update faster. I'm leaving May 22 for the rest of summer so my updates will be very, very slow—expect 3 at most, probably. Where I'm going, there's no computer—but I will try my very hardest. I love you all! Thanks for reviewing! 


	15. Demon Dragons and Forests

Tailz: Thanks soooooo much to all my wonderful reviewers! I'm going to miss you guys... ::Sniffle:: ::Bursts into tears::  
  
Sanji: ::Sweat drop:: Hey, wait a minute—  
  
Tailz: WAAAAA!!!  
  
Sanji: Tailz, it's okay—  
  
Tailz: WAAAAAAA!!!  
  
Sanji: ::Sigh:: Here's the chapter, guys and girls. Enjoy it.  
  
Tailz: As it's the LAST for a long time!!! WAAAAAAA!!!  
  
Sanji: --'  
  
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Kagome wasn't sure how long she screamed. However long it was, however, she felt it completely justified. The demon hovering over her was nothing short of terrifying, and she was sure that even Sango would've flinched at the sight of it. It turned out that her mental picture of Godzilla wasn't too terribly far off; in fact, the thing looked very much like a giant lizard. Its face was sort of like a very ugly dragon's—and its breath was horrible. Covering her mouth so she could breathe, Kagome stumbled backwards.  
  
So, of course, the demon took a step closer.  
  
It obviously wasn't very bright. That much she could tell from the dull, blank eyes. But it could still kill her if it wanted; traveling in a land filled with demons had taught her that brute strength, when strong enough, could overpower intelligence. If only Inuyasha were there....the thing would've been dead on the ground in an instant. But he wasn't. He was still in the physical world—wherever that was—with absolutely no idea what was happening to her. Had he found her in the clearing? Had she died? All those questions were buzzing about her head as she continued to play the game of cat-and-mouse with the monster.  
  
That was getting her nowhere. Her heart was racing and her palms were sweaty, and her nerves near shot—but Kagome managed to form a sort of plan. She had to have some sort of power—Tsuki wouldn't have brought her to the trial if it was certain she was to fail....at least, that was what she kept telling herself. Mentally, she went back and reviewed all the acts of miko power in her memory. She had no bow or arrows.... There was that time when she first fell through the well, when she accidentally blasted Mistress Centipede away. That could work.  
  
But she didn't want to touch the ugly thing! Ewww!!!  
  
(A/N: Yup....randomness....I think you'd be thinking along those lines in Kagome's situation, though....don't you deny it....)  
  
'Get yourself together, Kagome!'  
  
With a great gulp and a shudder just for luck, she reached forward and laid her open palm on the demon's overhanging face. It was as awful as she'd imagined: scaly and dry and rough, like sharp sandpaper. It was uncomfortably warm, too....ICK! Nothing happened for a heartbeat, then two. Good thing the demon was too shocked to retaliate....but that wouldn't last forever.... And even as she thought it, a chill gathered in her fingers. Her hands shook, and cold spread, fighting back the tepid warmth from the dry skin—a blue light gathered around her hands just as it had before—there was a feeling like nothing she'd ever felt before—  
  
And she was blown backwards. Sitting up, she found herself on her back on the dust, before a smoldering pile of....nothing. Where had the demon gone? 'Did I do that?' She thought with wonder, glancing around suspiciously, not sure that the thing wasn't lurking just out of sight. When nothing came and bit her in two, she forced herself to stand up on shaky legs. "Umm....was that it?" No, that couldn't be right. There was no way the trial could be that easy!  
  
.....Could it?  
  
Nothing seemed to be happening. It was silent and still. Even the wind held its breath.  
  
Wooooossshhhh....  
  
Kagome froze in mid step. It'd been too good to be true to assume that the ordeal was over after defeating a simple demon. Of course there were other tasks. But what? She didn't want to turn around and see it...but she had to....With another gulp and whimper, she whipped around apprehensively, hands raised in defense, for all the good they could do. At first glance, it appeared that nothing had changed. She revolved slowly on the spot, eyes darting in every possible direction, hoping yet not hoping to settle on a solid object....  
  
There. To the left.  
  
With a speed only nervousness could bring, Kagome jumped and turned to face the thing, beginning to summon energy again—  
  
Until she absorbed what she was seeing. A forest! But she'd been in a barren wasteland ten seconds before!  
  
And....the person standing there. She'd almost forgotten in distress of the surroundings change. Revolving on her heel again, she looked up—  
  
And almost fainted in pure shock.  
  
"I-Inuyasha?!"  
  
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Tailz: ::Sniffles:: Sorry for the mega short chappie, but I barely got it finished before I had to pack. Is it too cliché? Corny? Idiotic? ANNOYING?! (Okay, the last one doesn't count..... --') R/R, please. Love you guys. H.A.G.S!! Bursts into tears wailing something like "I'm gunna miss youuuuuuuuuuu...."  
  
Sanji: O.o It's gonna be a loooong plane trip.......... 


	16. What's going on?

Tailz: Yay!! Tailz updates!!! Throws sparkly confetti I'm happy to make you guys happy!! The only thing that bothered me about the reviews from last chappie was that Anandria said I enjoy torturing you....that's not it at all! I'm just trying to make the ficcy interesting.  
  
Sanji: The people in the back row don't believe you! And, well.... Neither do the people in the front!  
  
Tailz: ::Sweatdrop:: Uh... right....here's the chapter...  
  
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Kagome could hardly believe her eyes. That Inuyasha—or anyone she knew—could be standing ten feet away was more than she could've hoped for after the terrible ordeal with Tsuki (and the uncertainty that she would even live). She wanted to laugh and cry all at once. Her heart was fluttering madly, joyously; she wanted to sing, to call to all the forest that she was alive and okay again, that she wasn't dead—her disease hadn't killed her, and neither had the demon—she was alive and back in her world, and everything was fine.  
  
Unable to contain herself any longer, she ran forward and flung herself into Inuyasha's arms. Oh, how she had missed those arms in the short time she'd been away.... He hesitated a moment, then put his arms around her. Was he surprised that she was so happy? And wasn't he? Kagome glanced up uncertainly, only to meet a similar expression. "Kagome—? What in the world—?"  
  
"Aren't you glad to see me?" she asked, feeling slightly disappointed and confused. She'd expected him at least to yell at her for leaving, and even more so to be happy she'd come back....As of the moment, he just looked confused.  
  
"I guess so." He raised an eyebrow. "I just saw you five minutes ago."  
  
It was Kagome's turn to be baffled. What was he talking about? She pulled herself from his arms and backed up, studying his expression. It looked earnest enough. He wasn't joking. What was going on? It made no sense. She had to have been gone at least two days....And she'd last been awake in the muddy gully.....hadn't she? She was almost sure. Not in Inuyasha's Forest. Not a few minutes from the village, where they most certainly were at the moment. And, hadn't she been somewhere else only a few minutes before? It was hard to recall, but she remembered something about a desert....  
  
'But that can't be right,' her mind argued. 'What would you be doing in a desert? There's no desert anywhere around here!'  
  
"Kagome....are you feeling okay?"  
  
Inuyasha's voice broke into her thoughts as he stared at her with the manner of someone dealing with an unbalanced person. She blinked and stared back, not sure what to say. Maybe she was unbalanced. None of the images her mind kept thrusting and refusing simultaneously made any sense or logic. How could she have been anywhere than there? While those odd memories seemed dreamlike, the forest was real.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"Huh?" She blinked again, glancing at the hanyou whom was now wearing a concerned expression. "What?"  
  
"I said, are you okay? You're acting kinda.....weird."  
  
"Oh. I'm fine." Kagome forced a smile that looked somewhat dizzy. "You....you wanna go back to the village now?"  
  
"Yeah, okay," Inuyasha answered slowly, taking the hand she offered and following her from the clearing.  
  
It was as Kagome'd expected. They were in Inuyasha's Forest after all, for Kaede's village was minutes away. They went immediately to the familiar hut at Kagome's urging—or forcing, if you prefer. She pulled Inuyasha so insistently that he felt it necessary to bark at her that he wanted to keep his sword arm, if she didn't mind. "Sorry," had been the sheepish apology, and she'd loosened her hold, allowing the hanyou to pull his hand away and mutter negatively about impertinent human wenches.  
  
They entered the hut with Kagome in the lead. She ducked through the door and glanced about the dim hut. It was empty. Her face fell, and she turned uncertainly back to Inuyasha as he followed her inside. "Where is everybody, Inuyasha?" He gave her another look (he was doing that more and more frequently) and shook his head disbelievingly. "Whaddya mean where is everybody? You know they've been traveling for a week now. They should've reached Sango's village sometime yesterday." Kagome raised an eyebrow and Inuyasha continued, speaking slowly as if she were stupid. "Sango said she needed to talk to that old woman that lived on the outskirts of her village....remember?"  
  
"Oh...right." Kagome decided to play along. It seemed she was having memory lapses or something. Having Inuyasha think she was a total nutcase couldn't help matters any. "Sorry. I forgot." She smiled her most convincing smile, and Inuyasha's tense expression relaxed a bit. "Would you mind if....Could we go for a walk?" There was no reason to stay in the village if Miroku and Sango and Shippo weren't there. A walk in the forest always did her good. It could help clear her mind. Inuyasha shot her a confused glance but nodded, and, still puzzled, followed her back into the brush.  
  
They followed the familiar path that led away from the village, past the fields and farmers. Kagome waved and called out to them. Normally, they smiled when they saw her, their replacement miko—but this time they didn't even look up as she and Inuyasha passed. Kagome was mystified, but Inuyasha didn't seem to notice at all. He was staring ahead, and walking steadily as if she weren't there.  
  
"Inuyasha?" He glanced down at her as she inquired.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What's wrong with the farmers?" Inuyasha glanced back.  
  
"The farmers? What about them?"  
  
"They're awfully quiet...."  
  
"Oh." Inuyasha treated her to another matter-of-fact glance. "It's the hottest part of summertime, you know. They have to get the crops in before it's too hot and they all wilt." He shook his head, looking mildly irritated. "Honestly, don't you know anything?"  
  
Kagome glared right back. "What do you mean the hottest part of summertime? It's not even spring yet, Inuyasha." Kagome stopped as the words came out of her mouth and the hanyou stared. That couldn't be right. It was burning up around. The trees' leaves were all lush and bright green summer leaves, not autumn red-brown as she was SURE they had been only a while back. Hadn't it been raining recently? But there wasn't a cloud in the sky.... Kagome glanced down at her shuffling feet, trying to puzzle it out. Either she was having some serious memory issues, or the weather had gone completely nuts.  
  
Or maybe....both.  
  
But Inuyasha didn't seem to think that the weather was strange. He seemed to think she was strange—and little blame to him. She'd showed up out of nowhere, claiming to remember nothing that he verified as correct. Had everything been a dream before? The images certainly seemed dreamlike enough—the desert, the gully, and the darkness. Where could there have been such things? There was no desert or gully anywhere close, and while darkness was possible, she couldn't seem to remember it as normal darkness. It had been complete pitch-black, not normal nighttime.  
  
Inuyasha was still staring incredulously when she looked up, and she blushed out of habit. His eyes were always so intense...Kagome stared tentatively into their depths. There was something odd deep within them, something that shouldn't have been there. Inuyasha fidgeted under her unfaltering gaze. "Uhhh...what?" She looked up at him and smiled. There was nothing odd about his face. Actually, that expression was kinda cute....  
  
She squashed that thought immediately. "Oh, nothing."  
  
They continued walking. They passed field after field after field until only forest was surrounding them on all sides. It was so peaceful in the forest....too peaceful. Kagome noted with curiosity that there was not a singe bird's singing to be heard about the entire place. Did it mean that demons were about? She glanced at Inuyasha's face, looking for a telltale expression of interest, but found it only blank, staring mutely ahead.  
  
What time was it, anyway? It had to be getting late—it felt late to her. But the sun wasn't setting. Kagome glanced at the wristwatch Eri'd given her for her last birthday. She stopped hiking again. Both the minute hand and the hour hand had stopped moving. The tiny second hand was at a complete stop as well, still in a position between the other two. Weird....she'd only replaced the batteries two weeks before. Could water have gotten inside and messed with the gears? ....No, the thing was waterproof. There wasn't a single scratch on the entire timepiece.  
  
"Something wrong?" Inuyasha was standing at her side again, following her gaze to the watch.  
  
"My watch stopped," Kagome said slowly, pointing to the hands. She was about to explain in short about what could've happened—but Inuyasha began talking before she had the chance.  
  
"The batteries probably just need to be replaced," he said casually, turning to walk away again.  
  
Kagome nodded and began following him, murmuring, "Yeah, you're probably—" She stopped herself, bewilderment playing about her features. "Inuyasha, wait."  
  
"What now, wench?" He turned to face her, looking mildly irritated as usual.  
  
"Tell me what's going on here." The firm tone in Kagome's voice surprised them both. She continued. "First, Miroku and everybody are missing. Then, the farmers don't even notice us when we call to them. Then you say it's the middle of summer. Last time I checked, it was still winter. It should be around eight o'clock, and the sun still hasn't set. My watch isn't working. Something's going on here that I don't know about." She watched Inuyasha's face as he glanced at the ground. The strange something was moving about in his eyes again, and this time, she could feel it. It scared her. "T-tell me now. Who are you?"  
  
Inuyasha looked up, a maniac grin plastered oddly on his face. His eyes were malicious slits that spoke depths of deceit and evil glee. They were not the amber orbs of the man she loved. His fangs poked over his lips—much too long to be Inuyasha's. Even as she watched in horror, the thing met her eyes and cackled an unearthly, spine-tingling laughter that could never have come from the hanyou she knew so well.  
  
It wasn't Inuyasha.  
  
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Tailz: Okay, guys. I hope this makes up for the cliché ending of last chappie. Yay, update!!! - R/R, make Tailz happy!!  
  
Sanji: ....... 


	17. Deliberation

Tailz: ::Looking worried:: Was Chappie 16 really that hard to understand? 2 reviewers said it was so confusing they couldn't manage to puzzle out what I'd meant, and that's really been bothering me. If you can't understand what I'm writing, then you can't understand my story! Basically, I'd intended it to be a little wacky, to make you wonder and use your imagination....but it was not my intent AT ALL to confuse you that much!!! Gomen big time, guys!!!  
  
Sanji: The way Tailz pictured the last two chapters was an extension of the Trial. Last chapter was supposed to be that the Trial was mimicking the world through Kagome's memories—sort of a mirror world, if you will. The idea was that the fake Inuyasha was supposed to lure her into a false sense of security....but at the end of the last chapter she figured out that it was fake. And then it continues into this chapter. I can PROMISE you that she didn't mean to confuse you at all, only make your imaginations work. She takes your reviews very seriously.  
  
Tailz: I hope that helps. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to email me, or ask a question in your next review. Thanks, everyone! Again, gomen!  
  
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There were only a few (sensible) options open to Kagome. She could attempt combat again, as she had with the troll-thingy. She could try to make a break for it—but if the whatever-it-was could mimic Inuyasha's appearance, who was to say that it couldn't mimic his abilities as well? And if that were the case, both options would be just about as useful as what she was doing at the moment, which was standing there, frozen, trying to kick her mind back into action. The only thought her brain could manage to process was somewhere along the lines of "How could I let that thing trick me?"  
  
She should've known something was wrong from the moment she'd come there. If she'd trusted her instincts, and her memories, she would've known right off that it was still another part of the trial. And Inuyasha....that demon had impersonated her best friend, and she hadn't been able to tell the difference! It was a terrible thing to think of—the demon could've led her into lord-knows-what trap, and she wouldn't have known at all until it was too late. She probably would've died like Kikyou, believing the poor Halfling had betrayed her—and, like Kikyou, she would've been wrong.  
  
"Wh-who are you?" Kagome found her voice working, almost on its own. The Inuyasha-impersonator gave a chilling smirk and glared right at her while she nervously avoided his eyes. They would only unnerve her further, and it that were to happen, she might never escape. She repeated her question, trying to force her voice to toughen up a bit, but managing only to sound hoarse and shaken.  
  
The thing laughed. "Who am I? Is that really important? You've already figured out who I'm not." So, it knew. It knew that she knew. "It took you long enough, you pathetic little wench. I was told you were much cleverer than this. I'd expected better." Kagome was mortified enough to keep from retorting, as she knew Inuyasha would have. She deserved that statement. She had been stupid. "If you can't tell an impersonator from your lover, how can you expect to defeat the Trial? Stupid, stupid wench."  
  
"My...lover?" Where had that come from? The thing looked irritated.  
  
"Don't play stupid. Or, maybe, you're not playing? Of course. You haven't figured it out yet." Kagome blinked and took in what he was saying. "It's no secret around here that your only current link to life is that pathetic half demon. You wouldn't have had the chance for this trial at all if not for him."  
  
"Huh?" Kagome was at a loss for words, for the hundredth time since she'd half-died. She received another exasperated look from the thing—which was still hiding under Inuyasha's appearance, currently looking just like him, expression and all. Inuyasha often gave her that look, and it was often accompanied by an insult like 'stupid human wench' or something to that effect. Lately, though, she hadn't heard his insults nearly as often. She'd scared all of them into complete awkwardness. She knew, better than any of the others, that that night—right after she'd come back, when Inuyasha had been yelling and she'd smiled—had totally thrown the hanyou for a loop. There had been molasses-thick confusion in those honey-colored eyes.  
  
"'Huh.' Honestly." The demon snapped her from her thoughts with another Inuyasha-like scoff. "You were dying of a blood disease. I trust your memory stretches that far, at least." Kagome nodded numbly, waving the insult aside. "Well, you SHOULD have died from that disease. Any other human would have, because in your time, there is no cure. There will be one in the near future, but it wouldn't have been invented in time to help YOU. You should have died." Her mind was spinning as she tried to comprehend all that was being said, nodding all the while. "Well, you haven't—not yet, anyway. Not fully. The Halfling Inuyasha saved you by accident. Accident! It was a mere coincidence that you lived to attempt the trial at all. You were in Limbo with Tsuki when it happened. He stumbled upon your body in the gully—"  
  
"He came looking for me," Kagome mumbled forlornly. "I told him not to come, but he came anyway. The others, too?"  
  
"Yes, but they didn't find you."  
  
"Inuyasha did."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"Then," the thing said, with the air of someone telling a boring story, "a bunch of greenhorn ogres with no sense whatsoever attacked the two of you. Inuyasha pulled some one-armed-combat crap, playing the hero as always. He saved you, but the demon's death strike was a little scratch that caught you both—shallowly, so it wasn't really anything to worry about. Inuyasha reached up to find out how deep you'd been cut. His fingers were already bloody with his blood. THAT is what saved you—temporarily, anyway."  
  
"The...blood." It still didn't make complete sense. How could something that simple save someone dying of a rare blood disease?  
  
"Yes, the blood. You know of the natural healing powers of demon blood—it helps flesh wounds heal faster. While it certainly couldn't heal you completely—it was only a little bit—it could sustain your life long enough for this Trial to take place. Any other time, you would've died of blood poisoning, but since you already had a disease, the demon blood balanced out and pushed your illness back just a bit."  
  
Light sparkled in Kagome's eyes. Now, she understood. Now, she could see all that Tsuki had said had been true. The portal into the real world hadn't been fake. Inuyasha had been carrying her—SHE was the little red bundle, wrapped protectively in his haori. Her friends had come looking for her. She'd told them not to; begged them not to, but they'd come anyway. And they'd given her a chance. By disobeying her wishes, they'd saved her life.  
  
All she had to do was finish the Trial.  
  
And she was ready to do that.  
  
"So....why haven't you attacked me yet?" The thought had finally occurred to her that the Inuyasha-impersonator had not tried to lay a single hand on her since she'd arrived.  
  
"Not my job," the thing answered lazily, now looking thoroughly indifferent. "I was just to try to fool you into following me. In the given time, if you hadn't figured me out, Tsuki would've come for you to tell you that you'd failed and were staying in the afterlife. But you didn't. You figured me out, AND asked questions. So I got stuck wasting my time answering them." He yawned, and, with a very Inuyasha-like scowl, muttered, "How DOES the Halfling put up with you?"  
  
"I dunno," Kagome answered with a smile. "So, what's the next stage of the Trial?"  
  
"I was not informed of such. You will have to take that up with Tsuki and Maseru." The thing yawned again, then idly lifted up his hand and waved his claws around. The familiar darkness spread from his fingers and consumed everything, twisting around Kagome and swallowing her up as it had so many times before.

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Hey, this one isn't THAT much of a cliffy, right? RIGHT?! Sheesh, you people are hard to please! :D Nah, not really. You give me a reason to write, and you give me self-confidence. It's nice to know that someone reads your ficcy! Haha! To Moogle, who reviewed after all—thanks for your input! I'd almost swear you don't like angsty romance for all the complaining about this chapter!!! LOL! Don't worry. At the risk of spoiling something, fluffiness is headed this way full speed ahead. I am a lover of happy endings, myself.  
  
Sanji: She likes the tear-jerking kiss-scene endings.  
  
Tailz: SHUT UP!!! ::Whaps Sanji with Miroku's Shoe::  
  
Miroku: What is it with you and my shoe, Chelsea-sama?  
  
Tailz: ::Whistles innocently::


	18. A Family for Shippo

Tailz: LOL! I think I cleared all that up. I'm glad. I even got a few compliments for "interesting cliffy" and "creative plot twist." Hooray! I'm happy! What a twist, ne? Reviews are quick, quick, quick lately—we just broke 200 reviews!!! I've never had so much input in one place before! Like, WOW. ::Starry eyes:: ::Trembling lip::  
  
Sanji: Here it comes, guys. Grab your raincoats.  
  
Tailz: ::Bursts into blissful tears::  
  
Sanji: There, there, Tailz...you shouldn't cry when you're happy...! We got enough of it when you're sad!  
  
Tailz: WAAAAAAAA!!!  
  
Sanji: ::Awkward pat on the head::  
  
Tailz: ::Sniffle:: ::Smile:: Hehe....  
  
Sanji: What're you smiling at?  
  
Tailz: Glomp  
  
Sanji: O.o Uh.... Chapter, now, folks... O.O  
  
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"Kaede-baa-chan?"  
  
The elderly woman looked up from mixing her herbs in the basket and smiled patiently at the little kitsune that had followed her almost constantly since his arrival in the village a few days before.  
  
"Yes, child?"  
  
"Do....d'you think she'll be okay?" His tone of voice was tearful. It was the same question he'd asked so many times. Kaede was a patient woman, lucky for little Shippo. Anyone else would've thwacked him by the time he'd reached his eightieth time asking the same question.  
  
"I am sure of it. Inuyasha would never let such a fate as this befall the lass." Shippo looked down thoughtfully, a bit of reassurance crossing his face. It was true, of course. Inuyasha had never failed her or given up on her before, despite what he believed. They'd been through hundreds of battles with hundred of demons, rescued tons of villagers, recovered almost all of the shattered Shikon no Tama. They'd met Miroku, and Sango and Kirara. But before the others, before he had joined them, it had been just Inuyasha and Kagome. Shippo wondered what it'd been like then. Kagome told him stories about how Inuyasha had tried to kill her when they'd first met. He couldn't image it.  
  
Kagome wasn't stupid at all, but she could be very naïve when it came to a certain half-demon's feelings. Even Shippo recognized the look in his amber eyes in battle, when he glanced at her—after their foe made a threat, or she was injured. There was terror written there. Shippo knew that Inuyasha would absolutely die—whether physically or not—if anything were to happen to her. She was his whole world, whether he admitted it or not, and if something were to happen to her...if she were to die....  
  
Shippo was sure a part of him would die with her. The happy part. The caring part. The part that half-smiled in the middle of his "You've got to be a man" lecture, even though he was trying to be serious. The part of him he rarely showed to anyone but her. The Inuyasha they knew and loved would be lost forever, leaving behind a hollow shell. Shippo prayed that would never, ever happen. Idly, he bent down to pick a pretty wildflower. He could take that to Kagome and Inuyasha later. The sickroom desperately needed some color, and Inuyasha needed something to distract him from his worrying.  
  
But somehow, he didn't think an ordinary blossom had that sort of power. None of them did, after all. They'd all tried to cheer Inuyasha up—to get him to leave the stuffy sick room for just a little while, to take a break. Miroku had even offered to take Inuyasha's place in watching Kagome while he slept—and his intentions had been honorable. Inuyasha had denied all their wheedlings but one. Sango had gotten him to eat a bite of fish once. But that had been it.  
  
::FLASHBACK::  
  
Shippo stood before the sick house nervously, holding a bowl of soup Kaede had prepared earlier. Twilight had just ascended about the small village. Everyone was going inside, and a sleepy sort of stillness was settling as the mothers and fathers tucked their children into bed...  
  
Mothers. Fathers. Shippo tried to swallow the lump in his throat. The closest thing he had to a mother and father were in that sick house. The girl that had become so much like his mother was fighting for her life, and, in a different way, so was the boy he could almost call his father. Kagome was suffering physically, struggling physically, while Inuyasha was suffering emotionally, struggling with his own feelings of doubt and depression. Shippo could see the deep hurt in the hanyou's eyes even as he first entered the hut, feeling his courage abandon him on the threshold and bolt for freedom.  
  
Inuyasha watched him silently approach, not saying anything until he was very close. "What is it, Shippo?" Even his voice didn't hold its usual bite, or the customary insult of 'brat' or 'baka'. He sounded numb, like nothing Shippo could do could really make any difference. Something shifted deep in the little kit's heart. He felt a deep rush of sympathy for the hanyou that looked so brokenly drowning in self-blame. "Don't worry, Inuyasha. Kagome'll be okay. She's strong." His voice sounded painfully hearty, as did the comfort. "Like you," he added as an afterthought. He smiled brightly, meaning it as a compliment.  
  
"Is that why you're here?" Inuyasha asked vaguely. It was as if no one had spoken. Shippo felt his ears lie down flat on his head in displeasure at the miserable numbness in the usually fervent voice. He sensed that there was nothing he could do to shift this mood that was consuming him—no one could. Nothing could. Only...  
  
"I brought you some dinner." Shippo stepped forward and set the bowl down tentatively, as if afraid Inuyasha might strike out at him. Of course, he didn't—he just sat there, beside his prone, still charge, watching the kit's movements impassively. Shippo felt the eerie feeling that Inuyasha was looking straight through him, into something no one else would be able to see. Perhaps a memory of sweeter times, or an argument. Whatever it was, there was no clue on the stoic face.  
  
Shippo knew better than to stand and wait for Inuyasha to say something. He wouldn't. His job accomplished, he left the hut with a swish of a tail, scurrying off in the opposite direction of the death-filled building. He would return later to find the bowl untouched. He hadn't visited since.  
  
::END FLASHBACK::  
  
What could he do differently this time? He wasn't sure, but he was going to do something. Gathering his courage along with a deep breath, Shippo rushed the remaining yards to the sick house, stopping just outside the door. Undoubtedly, Inuyasha knew he was there. Undoubtedly, Inuyasha didn't care, either. With a swallow and a clench of his fist, the little kit pushed the door open just enough to slip inside.  
  
The dimness was blinding after being in the bright sun all morning. Shippo blinked back the purple spots that loomed all over, glancing about the small room. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the semi- darkness and locate the dark shapes. At last he spotted them—they were sitting in the corner nearest the fire. At first Shippo could only see Inuyasha, covered in blankets, and a horrible panic assailed him. What if—she wasn't—they would've told her if Kagome had...wouldn't they? Surely—  
  
"She's all right, Shippo." The voice startled him. He jumped. Inuyasha hadn't lifted his head from its position on his chest, just above the bundle of blankets—he'd remained unmoved, speaking in a tone too soft to belong to the battle-hardened hanyou. Bundle—of course! Shippo looked a bit closer and saw the top of a coal-black head. Relief. Warm, wonderful relief. OF course she was okay. Nothing would happen to Kagome. Shippo willed his heart to stop pounding, stepping forward timidly, slightly reassured by the tired gentleness in Inuyasha's voice.  
  
"I...Inuyasha, I..." He reached out and placed the flower down before them, swallowing again. "I...wanted to bring..." Why was he stammering so badly? Shippo couldn't make his mouth speak what he wanted it to. Inuyasha lifted his head a centimeter's width, glancing impassively at the flower, and then at the kit. His eyes lingered on Shippo before he glanced away quickly to stare at the fire instead.  
  
Shippo waited, listening to the crackling of the flames. When at last he gave up, several moments had passed in silence. He turned towards the door.  
  
"Arigatou..." The gruff voice stopped him in his tracks. Shippo turned quickly to find Inuyasha smiling at the fire, as if he couldn't bare to meet the visitor's eyes. "Kagome will appreciate your flower...when she wakes up." There was another moment filled with the crackling of the red-hot light in the furnace. Shippo took one step forward tentatively, and then, as if forcing himself to do so before he lost the nerve, he closed the distance between them. With the utmost care he nuzzled into the hanyou's side, hoping that he wouldn't be pushed away.  
  
Inuyasha blinked, clearly surprised and unsure what to do with the situation. He glanced down at the quivering head of red, and realized with a jolt that the little kit was crying. "Shippo...?" he asked awkwardly, not quite sure what he could do to help. What he did know was that he hated it when anyone cried, Shippo included. "What's...er..."  
  
"I'm sc-scared, Inuyasha!"  
  
"Scared? Of what?"  
  
"Th-that something will h-happen to Kagome! I d-d-don't w-want her to die!" He wailed, and Inuyasha felt that it was the most obvious thing in the world. But he bit his tongue, feeling for what could have been the first time sympathy for the kitsune. Poor little Shippo had lost both his parents at a young age. Inuyasha knew what THAT was like. And now, the girl he'd almost to come to know as a mother was...grievously ill.... With a grim sort of certainty, Inuyasha slipped one arm out from under the bundle and shifted all the weight to his other arm. He slipped the free limb hesitantly around the little kit and brought him just an inch closer.  
  
"Now, look, Shippo. Kagome's going to be all right." He sounded so sure... "She's strong enough to win against this stupid sickness. And she'd never want to leave us here...leave you here." Shippo glanced up incredulously, the tears still rolling down his face. Was Inuyasha...comforting him? Trust filled the cerulean eyes as he glanced away with the tiniest of smiles. He really felt like a little kid again, nestled between the two older people that were almost his parents. Sure, they had their differences, and they were an odd pair, but Inuyasha and Kagome loved each other, he was sure of that...and they both cared for him in their own way.  
  
Sniffling, he looked hesitantly upwards again. His eyes travled over Kagome's peaceful face to Inuyasha's fervent one, and he smiled.  
  
Inuyasha was baffled at the sudden change. "What're you smiling at?"  
  
Shippo sniffled, directing his assured smile directly at the hanyou, meeting his eyes. "My family."  
  
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Tailz: AWWW! Isn't Shippo-chan just ADORABLE?!  
  
Sanji: ::Still looking shocked at being glomped::  
  
Tailz: Okies, guys, thanks as always for the wondeerrrrfulll reviews that make life worth living! Super-sorry for the slow updates, by the way. I'm going away once again two days from now for what is most likely the rest of summer...and I have no compy, once again. But don't worry! I will write while I'm gone, and post like mad when I return!! Maybe I can fit in one more update tomorrow...hm...Well, ja ne, guys! Enjoy your summer, and be safe! See yah in August!! 


	19. Out of the Darkness

Tailz: 230 reviews!!!!! 230!!!!!!! ::Faints::  
  
Sanji: O.O ::Catches:: ::Pokepoke::  
  
Tailz: !!!!!! ::Is ecstatically happy::  
  
Sanji: .....Okay. You guys go to the chapter now. I'll work on calming her down enough to speak actual English.  
  
Tailz: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sanji: ....Wish me luck.

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Darkness. There was darkness only again. Kagome's first thought was that as soon as she returned to her world, she would never turn off the lights. She waited, patiently, for something to happen. Surely, they wouldn't just leave her here in the dark...there was still a part of the Trial left! At least, she thought, it seemed that way...the thing that had impersonated Inuyasha had certainly seemed to think so.  
  
So she waited. And waited. And waited some more. Where was everyone? A horrible thought crossed her mind. Maybe there wasn't a trial at all. Maybe it had all been fake, and she really was dead...and she would have to stay here, in this awful place, for all eternity. It was too terrible to think about. Kagome closed her eyes (not that it made all that much difference) and held her head in her hands. Dropping to her knees, she curled into something close to a fetal position.  
  
'Inuyasha...Sango...Miroku...Shippo...I failed you. I'm sorry...I'll never see you again...' The idea was unbearable, that she should spend forever alone, in darkness. And what would become of her body? Would it die, or remain in a comatose state forever? She hoped it would die, rather than make her friends worry for the rest of its existence. That way, at least, they would know, and they could get on with their lives.  
  
"Hehehehe!"  
  
Kagome's head shot up. What was that noise? She was sure she had heard something...it had sounded like a giggle. A little girl's giggle. But...surely there weren't any children in that awful place...were there? He couldn't see anyone. A hope rose up in her throat. If someone was close, maybe they could help her, or at least explain what was happening.  
  
"Hello? Is anyone there?"  
  
Silence was her answer. Only silence and dark.  
  
'It must've been my imagination,' she thought sadly, disappointed. 'I wonder if I'll hear voices often, now that I'm all by myself.' Could dead people become mad, hearing made up voices? Kagome couldn't see why they wouldn't. Being dead didn't change human nature, and it was human nature to try and make believe that they weren't alone.  
  
"Hehehehe!"  
  
There it was again. Kagome was sure she'd heard it that time. She opened her eyes, and glanced around.  
  
Light! Trees! A forest!  
  
Where WAS she?! Kagome staggered backwards, spinning, and tripped, right towards a large tree. She braced herself, expecting pain, and closed her eyes—but nothing came. Kagome looked up in surprise to find herself on the ground, a few feet away from where she had been but on the opposite side of the tree. She...had fallen right through it.  
  
'What in the world...?' She waved a hand in front of her face. It looked solid. She touched one hand with the other. She FELT solid. Tentatively, she reached forward, stretching her fingers to touch the tree's rough trunk. Sure enough, her fingers, and then her whole hand, passed through it as through nothing was there at all. She felt a certain warmth for but a moment; that was all.  
  
'Am...am I a ghost?' She stared in wonder at her feet, which were passing through the ground that she was sitting on. She looked down again, and noticed that she appeared to be hovering just above he ground. She wasn't apparently solid enough to even put her feet down. Or maybe...maybe she was real, and the WORLD was an illusion. It was possible. Could it be like when she had had to decipher that the Inuyasha-thing was fake? No, that couldn't be it. They wouldn't pull the same thing twice.  
  
"Well, it can't do any good to stay here," she said aloud, figuring that it couldn't hurt—if the people in this place couldn't see her, they most likely couldn't hear her either. She pulled herself to her feet and began walking to the right, following a barely-visible trail. It had obviously been often-trodden on before, but, over the course of several years, had been overgrown by weeds and dandelions and other wilderness-type plants. However, the path DID seem to be widening with every step, and apparently there was a clearing ahead, so maybe she could stop and look around a bit, get her bearings. After all, she didn't have to worry about getting eaten by a demon.  
  
After all, she wasn't even solid enough to walk on the ground.  
  
Finally, the trees opened up and the trail became a round, circular clearing. The grass was overly tall here as well, but without the trees sticking out at odd, bent angles it was a lot easier to see. There were, however, a bunch of burrs, and dandelions, and stickers, and prickly things to that effect, so that if she had been solid, it wouldn't made going more difficult. Maybe there were advantages to being a ghost.  
  
Kagome turned slowly, surveying the clearing at every angle, trying to spot out something of importance. At first glance, there was nothing interesting in sight. A bunch of trees, tall grass to the right; a strangled path and raggedy trees to the left. The only thing that was relatively interesting was a huge tree off behind her...man, it was huge! The only tree she'd ever seen that was as near as big was the God Tree, but...Kagome paused. No. It couldn't be.  
  
Could it?  
  
She stepped closer for a better look. Sure enough, there were the stubs of Kikyou's blessed arrows that had missed Inuyasha. They had framed his body while the other two had held him for fifty years. Those two had disappeared when she had touched them, but the others had stayed in the tree. There was still, in fact, the smallest piece of haori still caught there, fluttering innocently in the breeze, unaffected by aging. Kagome reached out and passed her fingers through the sliver of fabric, wishing she could feel it. She couldn't.  
  
But if this was the God Tree...it meant that Kaede's village was close by! And—it was almost too much to hope for—perhaps Inuyasha and the others were close, too.  
  
There was only one way to find out. With a big breath of anticipation, Kagome backed away from the huge tree and followed the direction she knew lead to the small village.  
  
'Please let them still be here...please....'  
  
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Sanji: Okay, it took the whole time you were reading the chapter, but I think she's calm enough to talk now.  
  
Tailz: !!!!!!  
  
Sanji: --;; ::Pokes Tailz::  
  
Tailz: ::Jumps up:: Oh yeah! Um, this chapter is dedicated to all you guys, but I'd like to specially thank Mari-chan and katty-kat—Mari for being my pal and egging me on, and katty for giving my writer's block a kick with all her reviewing-ness and begging-ness! Thanks everyone, I hope you like the chapter, and...I shall be updating soon! Ja, everyone! Oh, and by the way...I'm thinking about it—would you guys like me to write an alternate ending after this is over? As in, one happy/one angsty ending? Lemme know what you think! G'bye!


	20. Houshisama, why are you crying?

Tailz: Back again, folks! It never ceases to amaze me how many people comment on Not Too Late... ::Dreamy sigh:: It is...my little dream fulfilled!  
  
Sanji: ........  
  
Aww Track: AWWWW!  
  
Tailz: ::Shirley Temple smile::  
  
Aww Track: AWWWW!  
  
Tailz: Anyway, thanks soooo much for everything...yes, I know the chapters are short, and I'm sorry, but I just....writing long chapters is sort of a struggle for me. I'm working on it, of course, but it's just easier to update quick with a short chapter than wait with a longer....but I'll try. On we go!

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"Houshi-sama?" There was a soft tug on his sleeve.  
  
Miroku smiled benignly at the little raven-haired girl, one of several village children that had been following him like a bunch of puppies since his arrival in the village. Their expressions, even, reminded him of puppies—puppies that were begging for food from the table. Their eyes were large and innocent, their expressions doleful, and their voices hushed, as if they daren't raise their voices above a murmur.  
  
He waited as she climbed timidly into his lap, and the others crowded closer, sitting about him in a tight circle. The little girls were making daisy crowns, and the boys were pulling grass from the ground—all of them avoided his eyes, even the one that had presently addressed him. "Yes, little one?"  
  
"Um...Houshi-sama....what's a lecher?"  
  
Miroku face faulted. "Where did you hear such a word?" he asked eventually, looking at the girl who was giving him a look of pure innocence. Clearly, she had no idea of what the word was, let alone any intention to accuse him of being one. That was more of Sango's cup of tea, anyway. Not too many people were willing to call him a lecher, besides his friends, even if he was one. Perhaps they feared the wrath of karma after insulting a monk.  
  
"Lady Sango said you are one," the girl said, looking suddenly apprehensive. "Is that a bad thing? What is it, anyway?"  
  
"Yeah," another added, "what is it, anyway?" Soon the little wooded clearing was full of the sounds of the children all inquiring at once.  
  
A blush fluttered across the Miroku's face, and he looked a little flustered. How in the world could he explain it in a way that would be appropriate for children? He certainly couldn't tell them that he put his hands in inappropriate places, or had dishonorable thoughts about almost every woman he saw. Nor could he explain to them Sango's reasoning, of how she had witnessed him ask countless strangers if they would bear his child. Those stories would confuse them, if not scare them. He didn't want to have the children second-guessing his intentions, too. Sango and Inuyasha were enough! So, instead, he stuttered intelligently, before stammering hurriedly, "Oh, look at the time, my children! It's almost sunset! Come, we must get back to the village before we worry everyone. Your mothers will be furious with me if I bring you home late." He carefully lifted all the ones in his lap onto their own feet before standing and heading back in the direction of the village.  
  
Again, there was a tug on Miroku's sleeve. He glanced down to see a different child this time.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Houshi-sama, where do babies come from?"  
  
Miroku could hardly believe his luck. He had unknowingly picked all the most curious children Kaede's village could offer and brought them on a field trip at once. Actually, truth be told, he hadn't picked them, or even invited them—he'd been planning on a nice, quiet day spent meditating. But somehow, the information that he was going on a short trip leaked out, and the children had wanted to come along. He hadn't had the heart to tell them no, so they had come. However, this didn't help him now, as he searched his mind for an appropriate answer, trying to ignore the rather inappropriate images that flashed through his mind.  
  
"Well, um, you see..." He cleared his throat. "Babies, well...they come from..."  
  
"Well?" The little boy asked impatiently, and Miroku desperately tried to think of something. This shouldn't be so hard, he thought ironically, for someone who asked nearly every female he met to bear his child!  
  
"Babies come from demons," he blurted, and the children's eyes widened simultaneously.  
  
"Really?" They chorused, sounding amazed, glancing to one another disbelievingly.  
  
"Yes, um...when a man and a lady decide they want a child, they...er...they ask the nice Baby Demon to give them one," Miroku invented, feeling increasingly stupid by the moment, not to mention uncreative. "But, er...please don't mention this to your parents," he said hurriedly, trying to save himself what would be terrible humiliation and tons of laughing later, "because they want it to stay a secret, okay?"  
  
"Okay," the boy said, and then everything was silent. Miroku was sure he had never welcomed silence so much before, save after one of Inuyasha and Kagome's arguments. At that thought, the smile faded from Miroku's face, and a sad sparkle lit in his eyes. His heart ached for his friends—for poor Inuyasha, who hadn't left her bedside in nearly three weeks, hardly even eating, and for Kagome-sama, who was fighting for her life at that very moment. Shippo had reported a few days back that Inuyasha had even been holding her, trying to warm her with his own body heat. The story would've been more touching if it weren't so sad. It meant that she was going downhill by the moment. If her body temperature was decreasing, it meant that she was struggling even harder than before. Ever since that incident, Shippo had been disappearing every afternoon like clockwork. Sango had assured him that it was nothing dangerous and refused to tell him what it was, insisting she didn't know for sure—but her dark eyes had told him she knew more than she was telling. He didn't ask.  
  
Surely, Kagome would pull through. He kept reminding himself to be cheerful, to keep up hope—but it was becoming harder with each passing day. Even though he was ashamed of it, this whole ordeal made him rather afraid—for himself, and for everyone. He knew the day of his death by the kazaana was coming steadily closer, and he couldn't help but wonder. Would he know days, even weeks before it happened? Would his death be slow and agonizing for everyone, as Kagome's ordeal had been? Would the end come suddenly, too quick for him to even have the chance to say goodbye?  
  
"Houshi-sama?" The whispery, nasally voice interrupted his train of thought, reminding him that the children were still there, walking alongside him.  
  
"Yes?" His tone was absent, and the boy looked worried.  
  
"Houshi-sama, why are you crying?"

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The whole lot of them arrived back in the village just after sunset. They were met at the boundaries of the forest by a crowd of worried mothers, who quickly pounced upon their children and made comments of relief, of how glad they were that they were all okay. Perhaps, if he hadn't looked so downtrodden, they would've scolded Miroku for bringing them home so late...but the tired look in his usually bright eyes caused the reprimands to die in their throats. Instead, they offered him a polite thank you for entertaining their children for the day and went home to put the little ones to bed.  
  
Relieved of charges, Miroku was free to wander back into the dark forest. Absently, he followed no particular trail, simply strolling in any and every direction. He was vaguely aware of the stars shining prettily above, cheerful despite all the terrible things that happened in the world below. I should be cheerful, too, Miroku told himself halfheartedly, not feeling at all any drive to mask his feelings. No one was around to see his façade anyway. He was alone, for the moment.  
  
It was usually only in his darkest moments that Miroku's thoughts wandered to his father, but that was precisely what happened. As he waded among the alternately dark and smoky shadows of the forest, he pictured his father's face, and found, with a twinge of shame, that he barely could remember it any more. He had been but a young boy when his father had died, leaving him alone with the old priest, Mushiin (sp?). In moments like this, he couldn't help but he bear to leave a child like that? No, he decided; it would be better not to have a child at all, then to die and leave it like that. That was no way to grow up, and there was no way he would be willing to give his sad childhood to another.  
  
So...even if one of the women did agree to bear his child, he wouldn't be able to do it, truly. Sango would be proud of him for thinking so.  
  
"Houshi-sama?"  
  
Speak of the angel. Sango stood behind him, having just emerged from the trees off to the left. She looked curious, and slightly annoyed, but beautiful in the moonlight. She always looked beautiful, he thought wistfully, looking away. She would always be the beautiful, fiery, kindhearted woman that he loved. She had promised herself to him some time back, promised him a future beyond the quest...but what if he didn't have a future? Would she stay alone forever, in his memory? It was too much for him to bare. Sango deserved to be happy, at the side of someone much more stable than he. He could promise her nothing, not even tomorrow.  
  
"Miroku? Is something wrong?" He met her gaze with his own. She looked worried. "One of the wives said you looked upset." Miroku gave her an apologetic smile.  
  
"I thank you for seeking me out, Sango, but it's nothing. Really." Lying was a sin, he knew, but he couldn't bare to tell her the truth—that he was scared, truly scared, and apprehensive. Destiny refused to be deterred, he knew, and trying to avoid it would bring nothing but sorrow...he must embrace his destiny, however gloomy it was. But still...it seemed so hopeless sometimes. He always managed to look benign, keeping a cheerful disposition for all the world to see. But that was a lie. Miroku was human. He had doubts, like everyone else. He had fears, like everyone else.  
  
"Miroku? Please tell me the truth." He looked up to find Sango approaching hesitantly, now barely a foot away. Half a foot. "What's bothering you? I...I'd like to help you." She felt the same way as the day she had pleaded with Kagome to tell her. Sango bit her lip. Would this end up the same? Would she be unable to provide any assistance for him, as she hadn't been able to for Kagome? Miroku noticed her change in expression, and stepped closer, bringing his face just a few inches from hers. He peered kindly into her dark eyes, as if staring into her soul. Sango felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.  
  
"You look upset," he remarked softly, and Sango couldn't help but feel warm inside, even though he was avoiding the question. Why did he always put other people first?  
  
"We're all upset," she muttered, evasive, feeling somehow vulnerable underneath those all-seeing, concerned eyes. Desperate to break the silence, she hurried to speak. "Sh-shippo wouldn't eat anything today, and...and you...." She forced herself to look up, hating herself for blushing, and made her voice sound stern. "And you're upset too, but you won't admit it to anyone." Miroku made no attempt to tell her she was wrong, but just stared, preoccupied, into her face.  
  
"You're right," he sighed at last in surrender, rubbing the back of his head with a hand awkwardly. "You're right, Sango. But please don't worry. It's really nothing important." She seemed unconvinced, so he continued to say with an attempted smile, "Just a silly priest's musings, is all. Really."  
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Sango asked, the flush finally fading from her face, to be replaced with a slightly awkward expression.  
  
Miroku smiled. He took her hand and led her with him, just down the path, until the trees opened up to the hilly clearing he had led the children to that morning. Gently, he pulled her down to sit next to him, on the soft grass. "Just sit with me," he answered softly, and together they glanced skyward, watching a single shooting star flick past.  
  
Back at the village, Shippo saw the same shooting star. "Please let Kagome get better," he murmured to the star, before rushing back towards the sickhouse to tell Inuyasha goodnight. ---

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Tailz: There! It IS longer! SEE? Aren't you proud of me? Those poems did the trick for now—I kicked my writer's block!!!!!!  
  
Sanji: ZZzzzzZZZzzzzz....  
  
Tailz: ....Sanji? ....Awww, poor itoshi's tired! He's been putting up with me between every update, you know. ::Makes hushing motion to the reader:: ::Whispers:: Okay, guys, thanks for reading! See you soon!


	21. The Monument and Memories

Sanji: ::Yawn:: ::Stretches:: Hm...Oh, hi readers!  
  
Reader: Hullo, Sanji!  
  
Sanji: Nice to see you're feeling perky.  
  
Reader: ::Blinks::  
  
Sanji: Tailz'll be excite— ::Stops::  
  
Reader: .....?  
  
Sanji: ....Tailz? Where'd you go?

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'Please let them be there,' Kagome prayed once more, pushing her way through the last bit of foliage. She found herself standing a few feet from the village. Kaede's village. There was the old woman's hut, and the river that flowed by.....everything. Holding back her tears and also the urge to shout and laugh for joy, she forced her feet to stagger forward towards the place she had called home for so long. She wandered through the houses. There were villagers wandering about, laughing, and working, as always. The children were running around, chasing a little ball. It was just as it had been before she'd gotten sick.  
  
It was an interesting sensation to have people walking through her. Kagome thought oddly, it almost tickled. Almost. She made her way along, to Kaede's hut. Even though she knew they wouldn't be able to see or hear her even if they were there, it would still be a comfort to see and hear them. She had missed them all so terribly while she's been in limbo....Miroku's guilty apology, Sango's sisterly teasing, Inuyasha's deep voice, Shippo's giggle, Kaede's crackly laugh....she could hear them all, as clearly as if she were back again.  
  
'Come play with me, Kagome!'  
  
'HENTAI!'  
  
'Heh, your brain's broken or something!'  
  
'Excuse me, miss...will you bear my child?'  
  
'Kagome. How was it in your time, child?'  
  
Kagome smiled wistfully, and chuckled. She would memorize them here; memorize what they looked like. The chances were that she wouldn't see them again in life. She stepped up to Kaede's hut, took a deep, bracing breath, and pushed the animal-skin door open. Blinking at the sudden change in light, she looked around the hut. It was empty and rather dark, save for a mat and small metal plate in the middle which held an unlit candle. Kagome felt her spirits sink, and disappointment fill her throat like bitter liquid that almost tasted like...blood? Reluctantly, she left the dimness of the little house, her shoulders slumped. They weren't there. She walked straight through the village and back into Inuyasha's Forest, as it had been christened.  
  
Wandering, she looked around. Certainly, the forest had gotten thicker since she had last seen it...perhaps she was somehow looking at the future? It would explain Kaede's absence in her own hut. The priestess was old even in Kagome's time. In the future, even a few years ahead...it was entirely possible that she had passed on. But that brought an interesting thought to Kagome's mind.  
  
'If this is the future....where am I?'  
  
And then it struck her. 'I'm...I'm....'  
  
She had reached the clearing of the God Tree. Spurred by a sudden fear, she rushed forward and collapsed at the foot of the tree. She pushed the tall grass away feverishly, searching—if it was true, if she was right, it would be there—it would have to be— Suddenly, her fingers hit something hard. The dread rising in her throat, she pushed the last of the plants away, and read, with a hard swallow, what was written on the pretty silver plaque:  
  
In Loving Memory And Gratitude  
  
-Kagome-  
  
Rest in Peace You Will Be Missed  
  
"I...I'm dead," she whispered, and the realization hit her hard, even though she had suspected it from the first. She ran her fingers over the smooth, warm metal, and couldn't feel a thing. She couldn't even feel the engravings of the letters. Rest in Peace. She had died from the sickness. She knew that now. But it didn't make it any easier to accept. She had died, and everyone had had moved on without her. Which was only right, of course. She didn't belong there anyway. She was from the future, and this was the past. She never should've been there. It was all by chance that she had fallen—or rather been pulled into the Feudal Era.  
  
'But that's not what I've always told myself...I've always thought...or at least wanted to think... that I was meant to come here...that it was for a reason...' An invisible tear rolled down her invisible cheek. 'But that wasn't true. I didn't come here for a reason. I didn't do any good at all. I'm just....' She paused. 'I just made things worse.' The image of the Shikon Jewel shattering invaded her mind involuntarily. Following were several memories of Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha injured after a battle because they had to help her, save her...Inuyasha had almost died countless times trying to protect her. And she was sure that Shippo had done plenty of crying in the past few days... She was nothing but trouble. Nothing.  
  
"Oh, Kagome..."  
  
Startled, Kagome whipped around, throwing her arms out in defense, but being too enthusiastic, she ended up losing her balance and toppling backwards to fall through the God Tree. She looked up to see a figure standing there, crouched, his head bowed as if in prayer before her monument. She had thought for a crazy moment that he had been speaking to her, but as he didn't look up, or acknowledge her at all, she realized that he must've been talking to himself.  
  
Or...her spirit. She was dead in this realm.  
  
"Kagome...I miss you so much..." The man's voice cracked, with tears, and his shoulders shook. Who was he? His hair was red and stuck up rather oddly at the front, pulled into a pony tail at the base of his neck. 'Do I know this man?' She asked herself confusedly, creeping forward carefully even though he technically couldn't hurt her. She racked her brains as she crouched beside him. Did she know any red-headed people? Only Shippo....but he was hardly a man....  
  
'Wait. Hold on. If this is the future...' Kagome swallowed, and waited for him to lift his face and verify it.  
  
"I wish you were still here..." He looked up, and Kagome gasped. It was Shippo, undoubtedly. He had Shippo's vibrant green eyes and Shippo's adorable face—except now, that face was more handsome than adorable. He was a dashing young man, Kagome observed proudly. He was as fit as Inuyasha, and cool in a tousled, natural sort of way. He looked about fifteen...maybe older. It was hard to tell. As Kagome was pondering it, Shippo bowed his head to the placed a bouquet of wildflowers there and sat down on the soft grass.  
  
"What're you doing, Shippo? Waiting for someone?" Kagome asked, though he couldn't hear her. Who could he be waiting for?  
  
The two of them sat together in silence, enjoying the warm summer sunshine that filtered through the forest's fingers, and moved like skittish animals when the breeze ruffled them. Kagome glanced at Shippo every few seconds, studying his face, his expression, hoping to find some clue. He looked thoughtful, and also sad. His eyes kept darting to the base of the God Tree, where her memorial gleamed cheerfully in the sunlight. Rest in Peace. Kagome swallowed. Was she imagining it, or did she taste blood? How could she taste something when she wasn't even solid enough to stand on the ground...?  
  
Swish, swish. Branches were shaking. While Kagome glanced all over, unsure of where it was coming from, Shippo stared pointedly at a certain spot, and moved his gaze forward steadily in time with a blur that leapt from tree to tree. At last, when the noise was just overhead, it became quiet again, except for a slight twang noise.  
  
A silver haired person landed lightly on the ground, a shower of falling leaves cascading around him. Kagome stared disbelievingly, an unconscious smile gracing her features, Shippo stood. "Inuyasha," he said in a happy sort of voice, confirming what Kagome already knew. Then he surprised her. Stepping forward, he embraced the older man like a brother...or, a father. And Inuyasha allowed it.  
  
'What in the world—? Since when are they so close?' Kagome smiled brightly again as they released each other. It was nice to see them getting along for a change.  
  
"Shippo," Inuyasha said wearily, but his tired grin showed he was happy as well. Kagome's happiness faded a bit. Something about her beloved hanyou had changed. His smirk was halfhearted, lacking the infuriating cockiness and energy he usually boasted. His manner was slack, too, as he sat down, and his eyes seemed different—tired. Not physically tired but...tired of the world. Tired of the constant angst in his life. Kagome bit her lip guiltily, knowing she was responsible for that. This was the Inuyasha after her time.  
  
"You've...gotten taller," Inuyasha said awkwardly, obviously making a stab at trying to converse, and not doing so well. Shippo laughed, but it held a trace of bitterness. He, too, seemed tired.  
  
"Thanks, Inu. You've...er...gotten older. You geezer." Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in mock indignation.  
  
"This geezer could whoop your ass," he snorted with a grin that gave it away, and they both chuckled together. "I dunno," Shippo said at last. "I'm not the weak little kid that you're used to. It's been a while."  
  
"It has," the hanyou agreed. "Three whole years." His look saddened. "We broke our promise, you know."  
  
"Yeah," Shippo said, the faint happiness fading completely. "We were supposed to meet...every year, on the anniversary..."  
  
"Miroku and Sango broke it first," Inuyasha said sulkily, and Kagome could see a hint of his old arrogant self.  
  
"Sango was having a baby," Shippo protested. "It's not like they did it on purpose." Inuyasha fell silent, apparently unable to find a comeback. Kagome smiled brightly. So, Miroku and Sango had had children. She would've expected no less. They probably had the biggest family in Feudal Japan.  
  
'I'll bet their children are beautiful,' she thought, looking up reflexively as Shippo and Inuyasha did. A few seconds later, a rather ruffled looking Miroku appeared in the clearing, followed by a rather pregnant Sango. "Shippo! Inuyasha," Miroku said genially, embracing both of them as he sat, and helped Sango down.  
  
"How've you been?" Sango puffed, looking out of breath and tired. "It's nice to see you, Shippo-chan. How's the village? Any demons attacked lately?"  
  
"Only a weasel spirit," Shippo answered passively. "He didn't stay long."  
  
"Oh." Sango smiled at him, and then at Miroku when he took her hand. "These trips are getting to be too much," she complained cheerfully, holding her free hand to her belly. "I'm getting too heavy for this." She glanced playfully at Miroku. "I might have to ride down here before too long."  
  
"Hey, I'm not Inuyasha," Miroku protested, and Inuyasha smirked at him.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, monk. Old age catching up with you?" The Halfling teased.  
  
"Hardly," Miroku said dryly. "We may not be eternally youthful, my friend, but we are not old just yet."  
  
"Feh," Inuyasha scoffed affectionately. "Okay."  
  
"Careful, Miroku. This old geezer can whoop your ass too," Shippo laughed. Inuyasha smacked him on the head.  
  
"All right, behave, you two," Sango muttered. "It's almost like we have four children, not two."  
  
"I don't doubt you will one day," Inuyasha commented, and Miroku grinned. Sango blinked and then smiled hesitantly as well, looking almost embarrassed. Almost. Silence ascended as they apparently ran out of thought. Shippo's eyes returned to the plaque, resting innocently at the base of the tree.  
  
"Can you believe it's been seven years?" He breathed, a pained expression coming over his face.  
  
"No," Miroku answered sadly. "It feels like she's been here the whole time."  
  
"Yes," Sango added. "The first few days after Keiji was born...I felt like Kagome-chan was there...helping. Every time I looked my son in the face...I pictured her smiling..." A sad stillness fell over them like a blanket, as everyone was submerged in their own memories.  
  
Kagome looked around at them and waited.  
  
"Hey...d'you remember when I first met you guys, Inuyasha?" Shippo looked like his younger self then, as he glanced forlornly at the hanyou.  
  
"Do I," Inuyasha laughed. "You were such a scawny brat then. But you had spirit, I'll give you that much."  
  
"You guys helped me get revenge for my parents...and I never got to repay you...either of you..." Shippo trailed off, and Sango, straining, reached over and patted him comfortingly on the head.  
  
"I'll never forget the day I met the two of you," Miroku said, his deep voice holding traces of amusement and sadness simultaneously. "What was that comment I made to Kagome-sama again?"  
  
"'You're like a Bhudda in Hell'," Inuyasha mocked with a laugh. "And then you grouped her. Lecher."  
  
"And YOU almost removed my head," Miroku chuckled, and Inuyasha raised his eyebrows, not denying it.  
  
"I remember when we first met you, Sango," Shippo cut in, bringing himself back into the conversation. "Miroku loved you from the first moment we saw you." Sango gave her husband a shifty look that was almost cold, and he smiled weakly.  
  
"That's not really saying much," Sango said grimly. "But, yes, our Houshi- sama was a charmer." She giggled like a teenager again, and her stomach shook. "My, it feels weird to use that name again." Miroku grinned dreamily, and a memory of something lecherous flashed through his eyes. Sango slapped him, knocking the thoughts right out of his head.  
  
"You know," Inuyasha said affectionately, his eyes clouding over, "I really do miss that wench."  
  
"Did you love her, Inuyasha?" Shippo asked softly. All eyes turned to the hanyou. Silence, thick and sharp, came rushing back. As Inuyasha looked desolately at the ground. "Yes," he answered at last, almost too soft to hear, and Sango moved forward to hug him once.  
  
"She knew it, you know, Inuyasha. She knew you loved her. We all did."  
  
"I just wish...I'd gotten the chance to tell her...." Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes and trickle down slowly. "If I hadn't been so stupid..."  
  
"She loved you too," Shippo whispered. "She watched you at night, after your arguments. When you turned away, and she thought I was asleep, she'd sit up in her sleeping bag and apologize...and....talk to herself..." The adolescent kitsune finished desolately, a single tear rolling down his face. "For the longest time, at night...I'd swear I heard her again, talking to you...even after she was gone...."  
  
"It wasn't fair," Inuyasha said bitterly. "It wasn't right that she died. She was so innocent...she didn't deserve it, whatever happened. She should've been there in the battle with Naraku—"  
  
"And when Keiji was born," Sango murmured.  
  
"And when Kaede passed on," Shippo said softly.  
  
"Damn it, Kagome," Inuyasha yelled suddenly, and all the others jumped. "You promised you'd be there! You promised you'd finish the quest!" Sango put a hand on his shoulder, and his yelling became a fervent string of muttered curses. "Damn it," he said again, his voice losing vehemence after all. "You shouldn't have left me...You promised..."  
  
"I know, Inuyasha...I know," Kagome soothed, though her voice was broken with tears. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I knew you loved me...I'm sorry I left you, I'm sorry I broke my promise..."  
  
Soon after, Miroku and Sango bade goodbye, saying they had to get home to check on their children. A few minutes passed and then Shippo left as well. "It was nice to see you, Inuyasha. I miss staying with you."  
  
"Yeah, twerp," Inuyasha muttered. "I miss you too."  
  
"Come see me sometime, okay?"  
  
"All right," Inuyasha said, and watched as he left. A cold breeze blew through the clearing. "Goodbye, Kagome," Inuyasha muttered at last, standing and looking down at the plaque. "We'll be back next year, I promise." He withdrew a pretty morning glory flower from the folds of his red haori and laid it with Shippo's boquet, before bounding off too quickly for Kagome to watch. She stood there, alone with her monument and the God Tree in the clearing she knew so well.  
  
"They miss me," Kagome thought, and suddenly she was ashamed of thinking she wasn't needed. She had been sent there for a purpose, after all—to befriend the Shard Hunters. That was well worthy of all of it, though she still missed them.  
  
"Well, I've seen my friends," Kagome said, and she glanced at the well. "Now, I guess...."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
TBC!  
  
Sanji: Tailz! TAILZ! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!  
  
Ahhh! The great Tailz hunt has begun! But look! Before she left, she made the chapter a lot longer!!! 


	22. Brother Dearest

Sanji: Okay, guys. I have good news and bad news. The bad news is, I still can't find Tailz.  
  
Reader: ::Gasp::  
  
Sanji: The good news, though, is I found the new chapter in the mail this morning...so you'll have your update after all. I DID have to type it and submit it for her, though, so when Tailz gets back, she owes me big time. YOU HEAR THAT, TAILZY?!  
  
::::Silence::::::  
  
Sanji: ::Sweatdrop::  
  
---------------------------------  
  
The inside of the well was darker and grungier than Kagome remembered—she was grateful that she wasn't solid after all, because if she were, she would've had to touch the stuff. The walls of the well were mildewed and looked slippery, and the ladder had decayed—pieces up it lay, termite- bitten, on the dirt floor of the well. Kagome looked up, the happiness of still being able to time travel disintegrating. 'How am I gonna get yup there?' She asked no one in particular, glancing up with her hands on her hips.  
  
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the well began moving downwards. Kagome glanced around, panicked. No, it wasn't moving down—she was floating! A few seconds later, she found herself in the well house, shaken, confused, but pleased. She could explore now. With a few tentative steps forward, she was out of the old building, which looked even older now, and moments from collapsing.  
  
Her house. Kagome stopped, and a small, incredulous smile crossed her face. Despite the fact that she was a ghost, and not solid, she couldn't help but feel a rush of joy at returning home again. The house, unlike the well house and even the well, looked exactly as it had the day that she'd left, with the intention of never returning. The courtyard was well swept, as always, and neat. The Shrine a few feet away stood proudly, still imperious and well contained as ever. Grandpa was nowhere in sight.  
  
'Gramps....he must've passed on, too,' Kagome thought sadly, walking forward. 'Poor Mama....and Souta....I wonder how they've been?' With that thought, she crossed the yard to the porch and gripped the doorknob—or tried to, anyway. Her hand went right through it. It took her a moment to remember that she was a ghost. Doorknobs were no use to her. Carefully, like a reluctant swimmer into cold water, she eased herself right through the front door.  
  
Finding herself in the foyer, Kagome almost called, "I'm home", but stopped herself in time. She could hear a bustling and clanking that sounded like dishes in the kitchen, accompanied by the sound of running water and also that of her mother's voice, singing a familiar tune. Kagome staggered forward on dead legs, forcing herself through the kitchen door. The little room was clean, as always. Her mother was standing there, washing dishes as she'd predicted. The cheerful clatter of dirty dishes was the loudest thing in the room, nearly drowning out the soft humming. The song was one Kagome recognized—it was the lullaby she and Souta had both learned early on. Her mother's lullaby had always seemed so merry; now, however, it seemed sad, and worn out.  
  
Her mother, too, looked cheerless and tired, and the dull twinkle in her eyes reminded Kagome faintly of Inuyasha. There were crow's feet wrinkles at the sides of her eyes, and she looked a good deal older—her hair, still pretty and pulled into a neat bun at the top of her head was flecked with streaks of silver-gray. Her eyes never left the dishes, but it was clear that they stared through to something else, something that nobody else could see. They were clouded with memories and grief, and Kagome remembered with a pang that it was the anniversary of her death.  
  
"Poor Mama," she breathed sadly, turning away to look somewhere else. Staring at her mother's quiet mourning was too painful. She glanced instead around the cheerful, bright kitchen, from one spic-and-span corner to the next. She could see, on the table, a picture of herself—that hadn't been there before. Looking closer, she recognized it as the one that had sat in her mother's room for a while—it was the one Ayame had taken on her fifteenth birthday. In the picture, the younger Kagome smiled uncertainly, glancing at the other forced occupant of the portrait—Hojo. Even then, her friends had been playing matchmaker. Hojo smiled openly, his kind face a little confused, possibly wondering why Kagome was blushing so badly.  
  
Next to that picture was a group shot of her and the circlet of school friends, Ayame included, standing before the God Tree and waving, smiling happily. That had been taken in fifth grade, before she had known about the Feudal Era and Naraku and the Shikon Jewel. The third—and last—frame held a picture of her friends from the past. Inuyasha was scowling and looking away, though he glanced back curiously out of the corner of one eye. Shippo was staring, transfixed, in the direction of the camera with wide eyes and a serious expression. Sango and Miroku were smiling confusedly, wondering why Kagome had requested they all sit in front of a small black box. Kagome herself was the only one that looked normal—she was smiling happily, laughing at Kirara, who was preparing to leap at the camera as soon as it flashed.  
  
Eventually, Kagome pulled her gaze away from the pictures and headed around the house to look around. The living room was the same, save for a new chair in the corner, and a few more pictures of a handsome young man that could be no one but Souta. All of her old school pictures still there, in their places, unmoved, smiling easily as she passed them. Slowly, she made her way down the hallway.  
  
Souta's room had changed a bit, containing less action figures and more anime posters. The bookshelves were filled with action manga comic books—the picture books that had always been there by her mother's forcible will were finally gone. Her mother's room looked nearly the same, but the old comforter had been replaced by a deep blue one, and the lamp on the nightstand was gone, probably a casualty of Souta's clumsiness, Kagome thought with a smile.  
  
Grandpa's room was almost like a tomb. Everything was the same—the wallpaper, the futon-bed he'd insisted on forever, the bookshelves filled with spells and everything imaginable. But it was suddenly stiff. Quiet. The futon bed was made neatly, and nothing was out of place. It looked almost as if everything had been glued to the surface it sat on, as though nothing had been touched in years. Yet there was not a speck of dust anywhere. Her mother had kept it clean of course.  
  
Her room was next. The door was closed, but that was the only odd thing. Stepping inside (through the wall) Kagome stood in the center of her room and looked around, feeling like a stranger. Everything was untouched. Her bed was made, as it always was when she came home. Her desk still held pieces of paper, folders, and pencils across its surface, except that they were organized, and placed purposefully. Her shoes were sitting by the bed, and the window was open, allowing in a slight breeze.  
  
It looked just as if it had been set for her arrival back home. The window was open for Inuyasha to sneak in, if he wanted. The bed was set, the covers pulled down, as if waiting for her, and the stuffed animals seemed to stare expectantly at her, beckoning her forward. Nothing had been permitted to change, as it had been in her grandfather's room, and it was neat as well. Kagome edged slowly down to her knees, still hovering just above the carpet. Looking around, she could almost hear her grandfather inquiring from the hallway what demons she had seen, Souta rushing in to ask if Inuyasha had come back with her, and her mother calling from the kitchen that dinner was ready.  
  
Tears rolled down her face. It was like she'd never left, up here.  
  
"Mama, I'm home!"  
  
The deep voice and the sound of the front door closing startled her out of her thoughts. It had to be Souta, returning from school ready to celebrate the anniversary with their mother, Kagome decided. Quickly, she jumped up from the floor and ran straight through the door following the voices to the kitchen. Mrs. Higarashi had met her son in the doorway, and was currently embracing him. As he pulled away and stood, Kagome moved closer to survey her not-so-little brother.  
  
He had the same dark hair and eyes as before, but, like Shippo, something had changed. His childish innocence was replaced with a male-type confidence that was almost reminiscent of Inuyasha. He had become a handsome boy, Kagome concluded, and he looked about her age. There were probably a lot of girls at school that had their hopes set on him.  
  
"Hi, honey," their mother said smilingly, putting her hands on his face. She almost had to stand on tiptoe—he was a good two heads taller than she was. "How was school today?"  
  
"All right," Souta replied, dropping his book bag and scooting it against the wall. Mrs. Higarashi eyed it, obviously fighting the urge to pick it up and put it in its place, before looking back towards the stove.  
  
"That's good. Dinner will be ready soon," she informed, picking up the spoon to stir the noodles.  
  
"Ramen?" Souta asked with a small smile.  
  
"Of course," their mother smiled. "Inuyasha's favorite. He should be over soon." Souta looked rather excited, but the moment soon passed. "I have tons of homework to do," he said, picking up his bag. "See ya in a while, Mom."  
  
"Okay, sweetie. Call me if you need any help." It was the same thing she'd always said to Kagome, and to Souta, from the time they were old enough to have homework. Souta shrugged it off and went to his room, closing the door. Kagome followed, passing right through the wood as it swung forward. As her brother took a seat at his desk and began rummaging through his book bag, Kagome sat—or whatever—on his bed. She watched as he removed a book and a piece of paper, and then began looking for a pencil through his drawers.  
  
"You've certainly changed a lot," she said to him, chuckling once. "You used to tell mom you had homework, and play Playstation for an hour before actually doing it." Souta continued fumbling through the drawers for several moments, becoming increasingly frustrated. At last, in the bottom drawer, he paused, and the irritation melted from his face. His hand reemerged holding not a pencil, but a small picture frame. In the little frame was another picture of Kagome. In this one she looked about thirteen, playing Monopoly with a nine-year-old Souta. Kagome remembered that moment.  
  
"Nee-chan," Souta murmured, running a finger over the glass. "I'd almost forgotten this picture..." He continued to stare at the glass, his eyes riveted on the happy siblings' laughing faces. "I...I miss you, Nee- chan...whatever happened to you? Inuyasha said you'd been sick, and Mama said it was blood poisoning, and that the doctors couldn't help...." His voice cracked, and two small, silvery tears slipped down his face like molten glass. "You told me to do well in school, and watch out for Mama....I did what you said, Nee-chan....I did...." It was then that he fell silent. Standing the picture frame up on his desk, he reached back into the open drawer, removed a pencil and closed it. The book opened, he began his homework, scrawling quickly across the page. Kagome watched him with a loving smile.  
  
"I miss you too, Souta," she whispered, squeezing her hands together. "You really are grown-up now..."  
  
Suddenly, there was a noise in the foyer. The door opened and closed; both Kagome and Souta froze, their ears poised towards the sounds down the hall. "Oh, Inuyasha, how nice to see you," Mrs. Higarashi was saying. "Souta'll be so glad you're here, he's been waiting all week... Souta! Inuyasha's here!"  
  
"Coming, Mom," Souta called, putting down his pencil and heading out to meet them. Kagome followed at his heels, unfazed by the fact that the door shut on her once again. Standing in the foyer, waiting for her brother, was Inuyasha, looking even more tired than he had earlier. When he saw Souta coming, he attempted a smirk, but it didn't have the same effect as it once had.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the squirt," Inuyasha teased, tilting his head to the side to survey Souta.  
  
"Inu-no-nii-chan," Souta greeted. He stepped forward as if to lock his arms around the hanyou's middle as he had as a younger little boy, but seemed to think better of it, and instead satisfied himself with shaking hands. "How's everyone in the Feudal Era doing?"  
  
"Fine, fine." He looked around the room, as if he were searching for something, until he caught Souta's curious glance. "So, uh...what's for dinner?"  
  
"What else?" Souta laughed. "Ramen, of course. I think mom's making milkshakes, too," he added. "Strawberry. Kagome's favorite." He suddenly looked stricken, as if he'd said something he shouldn't have, and his eyes raised uneasily to meet Inuyasha's, as if he were afraid of being scolded. Inuyasha said nothing, only looked away as something painful sparkled in his eyes. Souta looked regretful, biting his lip and fumbling awkwardly with his fingers, unsure of what to say to fix it. Inuyasha caught the unspoken apology.  
  
"It's okay, kid," Inuyasha mumbled. Then, even more quietly, "I miss her, too." Souta looked up, and Kagome could almost see his nine-year-old self in those dark eyes.  
  
"Inu-no-nii-chan," he began hesitantly. He seemed to lose his nerve, looking at the older boy nervously, asking him to read his thoughts and answer the question anyway.  
  
"What?" Inuyasha was no more of a mind reader than he had been in Kagome's time.  
  
"Wh-what...d-did...oh..." He stopped, swallowing. "Did...did Nee-chan ever say anything about me?"  
  
A look of familiarity crossed the inu-youkai's features. "Souta, we have this conversation every year. I always say the same thing."  
  
"Please, nii-chan." The boy's voice was prayerful.  
  
"All right. Okay." Inuyasha walked into the living room with Souta and Kagome at his heels. He sat in Mrs. Higarashi's favorite chair, and the siblings sat on the couch. "Okay. Let's see..."  
  
"W-was she mad at me?" Souta asked abruptly, and Inuyasha looked surprised.  
  
"Of course not. Why do you think she was?"  
  
"I dunno..." he looked embarrassed. "I just...." He stared at the ground, as if he was talking to it rather than the older boy. "I...I never got to see her that much once she went down the well...and I teased her a lot..."  
  
Kagome's eyes glimmered in understanding. "Oh, no, Souta. I wasn't mad at you. I wasn't—"  
  
"Your sister loved you very much," Inuyasha said firmly. "She wasn't mad at you at all. She was just really sad that she had to leave you." Souta fell silent and Inuyasha did nothing to change it. Stillness and thoughtfulness hung thick in the room for several moments. It was only interrupted when Mrs. Higarashi called about five minutes later to announce that dinner was ready. Souta and Inuyasha walked into the kitchen, but Kagome stayed behind.  
  
'Oh, Souta...how could you think I was mad at you? Was it because I lied to you? Told you that I'd come back, but never did? I didn't mean it...you were my brother, and I loved you...I still love you...' She took one last look at her family and her love, sitting at the table easting, and then turned to walk down the hallway to the foyer, and through the front door. She stood in the courtyard, staring at the sky. The last pink tinges of sunset were slowly fading away, accented by the silhouetted buildings off in the distance.  
  
"Well, I can't stay here forever," Kagome murmured sadly. "It was nice to see everyone one last time." She smiled, looking up at the sky. "Thank you for giving me another chance. I know that I did have a purpose...they loved me. I did go there for a reason. Thank you for letting me see my family and friends again." She paused a moment, before adding, with her eyes shut tight, "But I'd really like to leave now."  
  
Nothing happened. Kagome opened her eyes, feeling disappointed yet stupid for being disappointed. She had almost expected a big explosion and a descending bunch of mystical spirits to collect her to the after life. She sighed, and turned back towards her house—she could at least go inside—and she gasped. Standing there, looking as cool and straight-backed as ever, was Tsuki, looking very out of place in her silky white angel-robe.  
  
"Ts-Tsuki!"  
  
---------------------------  
  
Sanji: Ooh. Whatta cliffy! TAILZ! Look at this! You have over 300 reviews! TAILZ!! ::Whistles:: C'mon, girl! Come here! Come on, Tailzy!  
  
:::Silence::  
  
Sanji: ::Hangs head, defeated:: Review, guys....thanks..... 


	23. Tsuki's Smile

Police Officer: Okay, what did you say the missing person's name was?  
  
Sanji: Tailz, sir.  
  
Officer: ::Rubs head:: Tailz Sir? I thought you said your friend was a girl.  
  
Sanji: She is, sir. Tailz is a girl.  
  
Officer: What kind of a girl's name is that, son?  
  
Sanji: Um...a nickname?  
  
Officer: All right. What is her REAL name?  
  
Sanji: Chelsea.  
  
Officer: Chelsea what?  
  
Sanji: Um...I don't think she has a last name.  
  
:::Silence:::  
  
Police Officer: I don't have time for some punk kid's stupid pranks. ::Walks out muttering angrily::  
  
Sanji: WAIT! DON'T LEAVE, I NEEEEED YOUUU!!!  
  
Officer: O.O ::Looks freaked out::: ::Gets on cycle and rides away::  
  
Sanji: T.T

-------------------------------------  
  
"Ts-Tsuki!"  
  
The young woman smiled softly and bowed. She surveyed Kagome with vibrant indigo eyes that glinted ethereally in the sunset's stubborn light. Her silvery hair blew about in a nonexistent breeze that was ruffling Kagome's as well, making her school skirt whip about and flutter.  
  
"Higarashi-san. It is nice to see you again." The world began to dissolve into black slowly, like ink dripping from a portrait to reveal a black canvas beneath. Before too terribly long, the color and shape of the courtyard had melted away completely, to reveal that the two of them were back in limbo again. Kagome glanced around, seeing what she had seen all the times before: blackness. Complete, utter blackness, and nothing else. But was it her, or did the place suddenly seem less forbidding? Kagome looked up to Tsuki again, and was surprised to see Maseru standing beside her. He had arrived silently while she had been looking about.  
  
"Higarashi-san, did you enjoy your trip to the future?" Maseru's deep drone inquired.  
  
"I did," Kagome answered, smiling sadly. "Thank you for the chance to see everyone....one last time. It really made me realize how much...they cared. I'll cherish it forever." Tsuki and Maseru exchanged glances, and Kagome was a bit confused at their expressions. Tsuki faced her again, and smiled a bit, looking genuinely pleased.  
  
"Don't you understand, Higarashi-san? Kagome?" Kagome was surprised at the sudden abandoning of the formalness, and blinked back, proving Tsuki's suspicion. The shorter girl's smile widened a bit and she stepped forward, surprising Kagome further by embracing her in a sisterly way.  
  
"Tsuki...?"  
  
"You've passed," Tsuki gushed joyfully, holding her at arm's length, no longer looking as formal and uptight as she always had before, but appearing truly as a schoolgirl, as the age she physically looked. "You've passed, Kagome, don't you understand? You get to go back!" Kagome hardly dared to believe it. Her smile came a little too slow, accompanied by a completely shocked face mixed in.  
  
"B-but how?" She choked out, and Maseru stepped in to clarify.  
  
"You completed all the tasks," he explained slowly, easily. "You battled with your miko powers, with deception, and with doubt. And you passed with flying colors. Congratulations." He, too, embraced her, but his was a more formal one than Tsuki's, which resembled a friend's—his was an awkward, one armed hug that only lasted a second. Kagome smiled as he stepped away, tears of relief filling her eyes.  
  
"Y-you mean...I get to go back?"  
  
"Yes," the other two answered patiently. Tsuki continued smiling. Kagome couldn't believe it. After all she'd been through, after everything she'd put her friends and family through....it was over, and she would be okay. She would wake up, and everything would be back to normal...Wait. Wouldn't it? Suddenly, the memory of tasting blood during the last stage of her journey didn't seem so silly either.  
  
"Um, my body's okay, isn't it?" Tsuki and Maseru glanced at each other cautiously.  
  
"It is....alive," Tsuki answered carefully, and Kagome winced.  
  
"I thought I'd tasted blood earlier," Kagome said, watching for any change in expression. None came. She waited.  
  
"Well," Maseru said softly, "the demon blood could only sustain you for so long. Its effects are beginning to dissipate, so your body is beginning to react to the blood poisoning as it normally would. It's...well....trying to rid itself of the infected blood." Kagome was stricken. She had gone through all that, just to be sent back to a dying body? Her thoughts must've shown on her face, because Maseru added hastily, "Don't worry, Higarashi-san. It will be all right once your soul returns. There was a bit of divine intervention as to your case."  
  
"You'll go back, Kagome," Tsuki clarified, "and in time you will be well again. But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But it will be a struggle. You're going to have to recover on your own." Kagome blinked blankly for a moment, before looking up to meet her guides' eyes. She smiled.  
  
"I can do that. Just as long as you send me back. When will I be leaving?"  
  
"Shortly," said both of the others together. "But," Maseru said, "there're a few people that want to say their goodbyes." He turned to his comrade. "We'd better be off, Tsuki."  
  
"Yes," Tsuki said sadly. "We must." She stepped forward, smiling in that same sad way, and embraced Kagome again. "You've done it," she whispered. "You've done what no one else has ever done before. I'm glad they gave you the chance."  
  
"Thank you," Kagome said as she backed away. Tsuki curtsied, and Maseru bowed, and they linked hands. Just as suddenly as they had teleported into her adventure they left it, leaving not so much as a sparkle behind. Once again, Kagome was alone. But this time, she wasn't scared. She waited for the someone (or, rather, someones) to appear as Tsuki had said.  
  
She was not disappointed.  
  
Just before her, eye level, there appeared a little a spark of bright white light. Before her eyes it bloomed, almost like a flower, and twisted upon itself until it had woven into a doorway-sized oval of glinting platinum. There then came a light that was too bright to look at directly—Kagome shielded her face with both arms until the glare had dissipated. She lowered her arms and found herself staring at a familiar group of three figures—the pretty, dark-haired female, the majestic youkai, and her own father, smiling humbly behind his glasses. She beamed.  
  
"Oh, Kagome-chan! Congratulations!" Inuyasha's mother enveloped her in a motherly embrace, seeming as excited as Tsuki. "You're going home! That's wonderful."  
  
"I told you it wasn't your time," her father winked. "I'm so proud of you, angel."  
  
"Yes. Well done," the silver-headed full demon praised kindly.  
  
"It's all over now," Mr. Higarashi added. "Everything's set. When you're ready..." He stopped, smiling. "Are you ready yet, sweetheart? You must've missed Mom and Souta and Gramps terribly. Not to mention your friends in the Feudal Era."  
  
"And I daresay they've missed you," Inuyasha's father laughed with a smirk that was not unlike his youngest son. "One they in particular." Kagome smiled as his wife elbowed him playfully.  
  
"Yes, I have missed them," she admitted simply. "More than I could say. And I've worried them so much, I've got to get back soon and explain. Not to mention before my body gets any worse." She laughed sadly. "But, daddy...I'll miss not seeing you. It was great to talk to you again."  
  
"I know, sweetie," her father said, pulling her close. "And I've loved seeing you. But you've got so much to live for. You can't stay here. One day, though—we'll all be back together again. I promise."  
  
"I know," Kagome whispered. "I love you, dad."  
  
"And I love you," he answered. "Take good care of everyone. I'll be watching over you."  
  
"No spying," Kagome said warningly, and he laughed.  
  
"Only a little?" He asked innocently. Kagome shook her head, turning to the other two.  
  
"Thank you for everything," she murmured. They smiled in return.  
  
"Tell Inu-chan I said hello," said his mother with a happy smile.  
  
"And try to keep him out of trouble for us," his father added with a wry smirk. "Good luck with that. You'll need it."  
  
Kagome laughed, and turned away with tears in her eyes. "Okay...I'm ready," she said.  
  
A pretty show of lights danced around her, twirling genially, spinning back upon herself. Her hair fluttered as if caressed by a light summer breeze, and her skirt hem flitted, waving goodbye. Kagome glanced back and caught one more smile from all the others as they called goodbye and waved, wishing her well. "Goodbye everyone," she called, and then whiteness assailed her vision, wiping away all the black and gray that was limbo. The sheer pureness of it blinded her for a moment, and when her vision finally cleared, there was no whiteness anywhere.  
  
There was, however, a lot of brown wooden boards. She glanced around, and a marvelous joy filled her entire being. It was the sick house in Kaede'e village. She glanced down. Just below her, was Inuyasha. He was still cradling her still form, as tightly as ever. There were blankets draped all about the both of them, and a fire burned in the small metal grate a few feet away. Dear little Shippo was curled up into a ball beside Inuyasha, his little head nestled into the white fabric of the hanyou's undershirt. Kagome smiled lovingly upon the two of them.  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha," she murmured softly. "Shippo....I'm so glad to see you again." She closed her eyes, willing herself to enter back into her physical body. Dizziness wrapped around her like a stifling sheet, and oblivion overtook her again. Her last conscious thought before the friendly shadows settled was a thought of pure ecstasy, of how good it was to be back home once more, in her love's warm arms.  
  
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Sanji: No, guys, this isn't the end...sorry it took so long, but the compy at Chelsea's house is out of order and wouldn't submit either this chapter or the last....  
  
::The doorbell rings::  
  
Sanji: Oh, sorry... Hold on a sec... ::Walks over dismally, opens the door::  
  
Tailz: ::Walks in smiling with B at her heels::  
  
Sanji: O-O YOU!!!!!  
  
Tailz: ME!!!!  
  
Sanji: WHERE WERE YOU?! YOU HAD ME WORRIED SICK!!!  
  
Tailz: I went with B to get something.  
  
Sanji: For 2 and a half chapters?!  
  
Tailz: Well, the line was long. ::Smiles sheepishly::  
  
Sanji: What did you get, anyways?  
  
Tailz: ::Reaches into her big sack:: I got thank-you buttons for all the readers! =3  
  
Sanji: ::Facefault::  
  
Tailz: ::Begins handing out buttons to the readers:: So, how've the reviews been?  
  
Sanji: We're just over 320 now.  
  
Tailz: O-O Wh-what?  
  
Sanji: 310. We just broke 320 reviews.  
  
Tailz: O-O OMG!!!!!! ::Falls over::  
  
B: ::Edges closer to Sanji, faints into his arms::  
  
Sanji: ::Glare:: ::Drops her:: Don't even think it.  
  
B: RATS!!!


	24. Goodnight, Kagome

Inuyasha was dozing for the first time in nearly a month. Even a hanyou needs to sleep sometimes, and he hadn't even rested once during the whole ordeal. He'd run miles and miles, then carried an unconscious girl all the way back. Upon coming back, he had rushed that same girl straight to Kaede's, then moved her to the sick house when the villagers began to fear for the health of their one and only healer. And after that, he had sat, barely moving at all, with that girl, watching her continuously, caring for her broken body, trying desperately to hold on to the tiny flicker of life that was still in there, somewhere. He'd been through all of it without so much as a moment's rest, and when he finally did sleep a little, it was a light, uncertain sleep. So light, in fact, that he woke even as the girl in his arms took a breath that was slightly deeper than the others.  
  
His eyes moved immediately to her face in panic as the thin shoulders began to shake so violently that he had to hold her still. Dry, racking coughs assailed the small form, and blood splattered across the red of Inuyasha's haori. She had coughed a few times the day before, bit it hadn't been nearly as bad. It was several minutes before the noise stopped, so suddenly that Inuyasha's own heart nearly stopped as he searched for signs of breathing. Yes, it was there. Uneven, shallow, but there nonetheless. A sigh of relief escaped the hanyou's lips as he shifted the deadweight, trying to fix her position into a more upright one that would, hopefully, make breathing a little bit easier. 'Calm down,' he told himself, swallowing. His heart was pounding as quickly as Kagome's. Why?  
  
He was afraid of losing her. He had come to that revelation long before. In the days past, as he had held her all the more tightly, feeling death approaching and daring it to come any closer, he had sworn to himself that if she ever woke up, he would tell her at last. He would tell her how incredibly worried he'd been, how sorry he was for eing such an ass, how terrified he was at the thought of someone else leaving him...Yes, afraid. The great Inuyasha, son of the mighty Lord of the Western Lands, was afraid of this one human girl's dying.  
  
A clawed hand rose, shaking, to rest on her pale forehead. Lightly, he ran his thumb the length of her face, worrying at the sudden heat. Where had such a fever come from so quickly? Just yesterday, even just before he'd gone to sleep, she had been freezing cold. He wondered whether to take it as a good sign or a bad sign. It might be a good idea to send for Miroku or Kaede—they knew much more about medicine than he did—but he didn't want to leave her alone, and he couldn't send Shippo, for the kit had woken up a while before and left for the first time in days. Inuyasha had had to tell him repeatedly that it was okay, that he would watch over her, before he finally left.  
  
'Shippo really cares about you,' he thought forlornly. 'We all do. Please wake up.' He sighed, glancing at the ceiling rafters above. 'How long can this go on?' His hand continued its idle stroking, until abruptly, something warm and shaking touched against it, holding it still.  
  
Safe to say, Inuyasha nearly jumped out of his skin. He jolted and looked down in complete bewilderment to see Kagome's sleepy face turned upwards, looking him right in the eyes. "I-Inuyasha," she shoked, and Inuyasha could see a thin line of blood running down her chin. A whole moment passed in silence, in which the hanyou stared at her with an unreadable expression and wide eyes, and Kagome smiled weakly, waiting, partly wondering if he had even heard her.  
  
Suddenly, Kagome felt herself enveloped securely in the same arms that had held her for almost three weeks, and held against the firm chest of a certain hanyou. His sweeping curtain of silvery hair hung over both of them, and Kagome was aware of his chin on her head, and his hands trembling almost as badly as his were. "Y-you stupid idiot," he spat, holding her more tightly and (somehow) more gently than anyone ever had in her life. "You scared me to death!" Kagome blinked, then smiled, murmuring into his shoulder, "I missed you, Inuyasha."  
  
"I missed you too, he whispered, and Kagome thought she could hear tears in his voice. "I'm so glad you're okay....I thought—I thought—"  
  
"Shh," she soothed. "It's all right."  
  
"It's NOT all right," he snapped, and Kagome was taken aback at the sudden change of tone. "You didn't tell me about this! You were going to leave us and die by yourself somewhere! Alone! How could you EVER think that would make things easier on us?!"  
  
"I didn't want you to worry," Kagome murmured. "I knew there was nothing you could do, so I didn't think—"  
  
"That's right, you DIDN'T think." She fell silent at the harshness of his tone and allowd herself to be still in his embrace. Inuyasha fumed silently for a while before muttering, exasperated, "Why do you always have to be such an idiot? Can't you think about yourself for once?" She started to apologize, but Inuyasha cut her off again. "Look, wench...Kagome...even if there wasn't anything I could do...you still should've told me. You should never feel alone like that." His tone was meek now. "I know what being alone's like...I'd never want you to feel like that...."  
  
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I thougt I was doing the right thing for everyone...I guess I just didn't want you to be mad at me."  
  
"You WHAT?" His tone was incredulous.  
  
"I...I didn't want you to be mad at me for giving up." She laughed weakly. "I'm not like you, Inuyasha. Every now and then, I lose heart. I can't be brave all the time like you are."  
  
"You're braver than I've ever been," he muttered. Kagome was so still and silent that Inuyasha almost suspected she'd gone to sleep. "I've only been really scared twice in my life. Once, for mother...and once, when Sango and Miroku told me were sick, and you'd run away. Do you have any idea what it's like to feel so helpless? So guilty?"  
  
"It wasn't your fault," Kagome whispered, and Inuyasha fell silent. It was a considerable amount of time before her spoke again, but when he did, his voice was soft, and filled with a sort of surrender she had never heard from him before.  
  
"Kagome...I've wanted to tell you this for the longest time..." She nodded, and felt him swallow. "From the very moment you freed me from Kikyou's arrow, I wanted nothing more than to get rid of you. Remember?" Kagome winced. She did remember. "I yelled at you, I blamed you, I hated you because you reminded me of Kikyou, and I blamed everything on her. I treated you like dirt for the longest time. You were just like everyone else, I told myself.  
  
But you WERE different. You confused me. Why were you so kind to me when I was so terrible to you? Why weren't you scared of me? Why didn't you find me repulsive like everyone else did? You smiled at me, and tried to look after me as if I was a friend of yours. You helped me, and you didn't want anything in return. You...you treated me like a person, and I realized after a while...I just couldn't hate you, no matter how much I wanted to." Kagome smiled. It was sort of sweet to hear it from him.  
  
"The day we battled the Thunder Brothers, do you remember?"  
  
"How could I forget? That was when we first met Shippo-chan." Kagome laughed. "If I remember right, he said he was going to eat us...What about it?"  
  
"When you and Shippo were surrounded by flames, and Myouga-jiji made some comment about your spirits bidding their farewell, and you walked towards me...I thought...I couldn't bear to lose you. You were the only person in the longest time that had been kind...I wasn't ready to give up the only thing close to a friend that I had. Do you understand?"  
  
Kagome blinked at him. "Inuyasha..."  
  
"Kagome, I can't stand the thought of you being hurt. I kept thinking after you ran away that something was going to happen to you, that I'd be too late...If anything ever happened to you, I'd never forgive myself." His arms tightened, and he buried his face in her hair. "So just...don't ever do that again."  
  
"I don't plan to." She smiled, and then dissolved into a coughing fit again.  
  
"Hey, are you all right?" He reached up and swept away the blood that was trickling from her lips.  
  
"F-fine," she gasped, laying her head back on his shoulder. "S-so...you're n- not mad at me?"  
  
"Of course not, baka." He smirked. "Just try to not be so stupid in the future."  
  
"Mm-hmm."  
  
"And tell me next time you have a problem."  
  
"Okay." She nestled closer and lay her head in the hollow of Inuyasha's throat. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady, keeping an even rhythm. Sleep began eating at the corners of her vision. Just before she succumbed to it, mollified by the warmth and security that came with being in Inuyasha's arms, she felt his hand slip up and rest on the side of her face. "What is it, Inuyasha?"  
  
"You feel warm."  
  
"Yeah...there's a fire right over there," she mumbled drowsily.  
  
"No, I mean feverish." Kagome frowned.  
  
"I dunno...it is sorta cold..." The thought stuck her as odd. It was humid to the point of discomfort in the sick house; she was wrapped in Inuyasha's haori, and a whole ton of blankets, and was being held close, against the warm body of someone else. Not to mention the fire. Tsuki had said it would be a struggle to recover. Kagome shivered unconsciously, and Inuyasha looked at her, concerned.  
  
"Do you want me to ask Kaede for another blanket?"  
  
"No...it's already hot in here. You've got to be burning up." Inuyasha shrugged, but the truth was obvious. A fine sheen of sweat made his bangs stick to his forehead. Kagome sat up, her mind set, grimacing at the dizziness that immediately attacked.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kagome ignored him for a moment, focusing on pushing the blankets off one by one, until the only thing left was Inuyasha's haori. She pulled it close and lay back down. Inuyasha's arms came to steady her, as firmly as always. "I thought you said you were cold."  
  
"This is better for both of us," Kagome said, ignoring his question again. "This way, you won't sweat to death and I won't get over heated. Just..."  
  
"Just what?"  
  
"Promise you won't leave me..."  
  
His expression softened. "I promise," he murmured softly, resting his chin on her head again. The position was comfortable, and it DID feel a lot better without all the blankets piled on...not to mention the fact that he could sleep easy knowing Kagome was safe. Inuyasha yawned in time with his friend, and smiled faintly, settling back against the wall. Telling the others could wait until tomorrow morning. They were both tired, and Shippo would proably be so happy to see Kagome awake that he would tackle her. Yes, for the moment, he was content to sit with the girl he secretly loved....  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Your mom said to tell you hi." Inuyasha blinked, then smiled at the ceiling above.  
  
"Goodnight, Kagome."  
  
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Tailz: ::Cries into her hanky::  
  
Sanji: Feh. Girls.  
  
Tailz: Isn't it adorably fluffy? AWW! Anyway, I'm sad to say that the next chapter, the epilogue, will be the last. No alternate ending (I'm super sorry!) but maybe... a sequel! That sounds like fun, right? It would cover Kagome's recovery, (and a certain plot twist idea I've got!) and when Kagome goes home and shocks her mother to death. "Mommy! I'm still alive, mommy!" - Lemme know what you think!  
  
Inuyasha: ::Pops up, smacks authoress in the head:: YOU!  
  
Tailz: X.X Urk.... ::Floats down to the floor like Myouga::  
  
Sanji: Dad!! ::Helps Tailz up::  
  
Inuyasha: Why are you calling me dad?! Who the heck are you?!  
  
Sanji: Never mind.... ::Sweat::  
  
Tailz: X.x Meep...whaddid I do, Inu-chan?  
  
Inuyasha: What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!  
  
Tailz: ....?  
  
Inuyasha: I'll tell you what you did! You TORTURED me for 21 chapters!!!  
  
Tailz: 23, actually...  
  
Inuyasha: ::BONK!::  
  
Tailz: X.x 


	25. Epilogue

Sanji: ::Greets reader at the door:: - Hello there, reader.  
  
Tailz: ::Sobs hysterically in the background:: IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!  
  
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The morning dawns bright and cheerful, earlier than usual. The cloudless sky is a beautiful cerulean color, and it is almost unbearably hot out already. The people in the village are only just beginning to stir and move about, to see to their regular routine. For the first time in days, the flap-door of the sick house rustles, and someone other than the kitsune comes out, blinking innocently in the bright sunlight. Close behind her is the hanyou Inuyasha, who looks far more awake than she as he leads her across the village to Kaede's hut. There are many greetings of "Miko-sama!" and "You're all right!"  
  
"Duh," mutters the insolent half-demon, only to be shot a warning glare from the young miko.  
  
"Don't be sarcastic, Inuyasha. They're only being kind." She smiles to the villagers patiently, and waves, and answers to their inquires that she is fine and well, thank you for asking.  
  
Just then a there is a stirring in Kaede's hut. First to immerge is the young kitsune, Shippo, who is awake at least two hours early so that he could get right back to the sick house. Close at his heels, telling him not to run and hurt himself, is the pretty demon-exterminator, Sango, acting the caring mother figure in Kagome's place. Just behind her is the monk Miroku, with a look too innocent to be merely following her. Indeed, a moment later there is a SLAP and a shout of "YOU HENTAI!" The villagers stare at the twitching monk on the ground, wondering.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha are just arriving on the scene. Kagome takes one look at Miroku and laughs, attracting the stare of Shippo who swears he would know that laugh anywhere. The young kit's green eyes go wide in disbelief and he steps forward, uttering a disbelieving, "K-kagome?" That catches the attention of Sango and Miroku, who stop bickering for a moment to look up in shock. Suddenly, the village seems very quiet and still.  
  
"KAGOME!" Shippo, obviously ecstatic, runs forward and latches onto the smiling girl as though he's afraid she might disappear. "OH, KAGOME, I WAS SO WORRIED! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH, ARE YOU OKAY, ARE YOU BETTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY?" He says all of this very fast and very loudly, and his crying makes it a little hard to understand. Inuyasha mutters something about overly dramatic brats, but Kagome only smiles patiently and pats him on the head, promising to explain it all later. She sets him down, and he lets go.  
  
As soon as his feet are back on the ground, Kagome finds herself being crushed by yet another friend. "Kagome-chan...thank goodness..." Sango is crying too, but only a little, and she doesn't allow the villagers to see. She wipes away the only tear that managed to escape and holds her at arm's length, probably reminding Kagome of another young woman she'd met not long ago. "You're all right... we were so worried...." Kagome, all smiles, replies that she missed them, and would Sango like to go to the hot springs later, because she has a lot to tell her. Sango smiled and said that she would.  
  
Kagome releases her friend and begins to take a step back, but finds herself enveloped, along with Sango, by the monk who still bears a telltale red slap mark on his left cheek. "Ah, Kagome-sama. It's wonderful to see you up again." He grins benignly, and Sango's eyes narrow in surprise. Miroku is trying his luck.  
  
"HENTAI! YOU UNBELIEVABLE, PIGHEADED, RUDE—" She slaps him once for every adjective. Kagome and Inuyasha take a step back, looking surprised and faintly amused, and the villagers begin to disperse. Kaede comes out a moment later and looks genuinely pleased, and inquires after how Kagome is feeling. She says that they should stop by later for some herbs that might help speed the recovery along, and that Kagome shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome nods her head obediently and says that she will, while Inuyasha looks slightly offended, but says nothing.  
  
The day passes by in a blur. Kagome wandered around the village for the rest of the day, walking through the forest, through the village, smiling at anything and everything. Though she doesn't complain once, Inuyasha notices her limping, and the tired look that comes into her lively eyes. He offers grumpily to carry her, and when she looks at him in bewilderment, he only mutters something about weak humans and repeats Kaede's warning that she shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome is touched, and accepts his offer gratefully. They walk back to the village and meet Sango, who then leads her friend to the hot springs.  
  
Inuyasha stays behind and wanders around until he's needed again, with Shippo at his heels. "I'm glad Kagome's all right again," the kit says happily, and Inuyasha only mumbles, but his eyes, looking towards the heavens, are grateful. The two walk on out of sight, back to Kaede's to await Kagome and Sango's return.  
  
High above them, in the trees, I smile, and my heart goes out to that stubborn hanyou, who's only just learned to trust again, and the innocent schoolgirl who's done nothing but trust her whole life. "Kagome," I whisper, though she can't hear me, "you've done so well and gone through so much already.... And you have so much more ahead of you...But I know you'll get through it. I wish you luck."  
  
I can't stay any longer. Maseru will be wondering, and we have other tasks to attend to in the after life. Now that Kagome's Trials are completed, we are no longer needed, and we will be able to return to Nirvana once more. A simple life again, among the beautiful land of the dead. I smile one last time at the village blow and am gone with the breeze, uttering one final goodbye.  
  
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Tailz: Okay, breathe... ::Gasp, inhale, exhale:: Okay...It's over...it's really over...do you feel gypped? I know it's short, but I got the point across, and there's a whole sequel ahead, so I hope you can forgive me... WAAAAAH!!! ::Cries hysterically into Kagome's shoulder::  
  
Kagome: There, there, it's okay. ::Smiles, then pushes her to Sanji::  
  
Sanji: ::Sweatdrop::  
  
Tailz: Okay, guys...thank you so much for everything, for all your reading and encouragement! ::Sob:: My goal for reviews when I started this fic was 50, and he have passed 400....my golly... THANK YOU!! Someone asked me for the name of the sequel—I can do that. It's called Of Darkest Dawn, and it IS rather angsty....but that's all you'll get out of me... Hehe.... And there will be fluff, I promise...  
  
Inu-tachi: ::Sweat:: Greaaat.....  
  
Tailz: Anyway, one more time, thank you SO MUCH for everything, guys! See yah in the sequal! Love yah!!!!  
  
Everyone: Ja!!!!!!!!! 


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